


Emissary of Sin

by insieme



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec is a protector, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Assassins & Hitmen, Bad Puns, Childhood Trauma, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Family Drama, Fist Fights, Graphic Description, Gun Violence, Implied/Referenced Torture, Lots of family drama, M/M, Magnus and Alec hate eachother at the beginning, Magnus is an assassin, Moderate burn, Past Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sexual Tension, Torture, Violence, Work In Progress, but its mild, but they're forced to work together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-22
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-01-21 14:47:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 97,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12459999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/insieme/pseuds/insieme
Summary: Alec Lightwood, the Clave's top protection agent, is called upon to guard the life of his mortal enemy - one of the world's most notorious hitmen, Magnus Bane.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Angels!
> 
> I've been working on this one for a while and am really looking forward to sharing it with you! I have no idea how long it's actually going to be but I'm planning on under ten chapters *fingers crossed*
> 
> I'm going to try and update at a reasonable pace, but no guarantees. 
> 
> A [Russian Translation](https://ficbook.net/readfic/7287042) can be found here. 
> 
>  
> 
> If you want to live tweet, you can use the hashtag #EOSfic so I can see them :) 
> 
> Enjoy! x

“Now, we could do this the easy way or the hard way.” 

Magnus Bane looked down at the man spread out on the concrete floor below him, his studded boot pressing stiffly into the man’s tattooed neck. He had a long gash across his forehead, courtesy of Magnus, as well as some bruising from his fist when he had initially knocked him to the ground. Magnus himself hadn’t sustained any injuries, hadn’t even broken a sweat in taking the man down. 

In response to his earlier question, the man scowled up at him, venom in his eyes. 

Magnus sighed. “Why must all of you choose the hard way? Well, hard for you. For me, this is the easy part.” He unholstered the revolver from his hip and aimed it down at the man, leveling it with evenly his forehead. “Usually when I have someone spread out below me, it ends much more enjoyable for both parties. Trust me.” He winked. The man spit another slew of insults in his direction. “I see we’re not in a playful mood tonight. Very well. Any last words?”

Before he had a chance to speak, probably slur something unsavoury towards Magnus, the telltale trill of his cellphone filled the room. Holding the revolver steady, Magnus used his other hand to fish his phone from his jacket pocket. He gesturing for the man on the floor to wait a moment, as if he had somewhere else to be. He sneered. Magnus cocked the gun. 

“Bane.”

“Mr. Bane, this is Jia Penhallow, Commander of the Clave.” 

The man on the floor seemed to think he could use Magnus’ distraction as an attempt to free himself, but a more steady press of Magnus’ heel on his throat proved him to be unsuccessful. “Ah, Mrs. Penhallow. I would say it’s a pleasure but then I would be lying and I consider myself to be a man of honour. So let’s just get right to the point then, shall we? What can I do for you?”

“The Clave has requested your services for a mission immediately. Should you accept, we would require you in New York within the day.” 

Magnus looked down at the man struggling beneath him, contemplating her offer. On one hand, he despised the Clave and everything they stood for, but on the other they were known for paying hefty sums of cash for people like him to cover up their mistakes. And if there was anything Magnus liked more than deliberately pissing off the Clave, it was getting paid for it. 

The man on the ground - a gang leader, by the looks of his tattoos - grunted beneath him, still hopelessly trying to free himself. He had his hands wrapped around Magnus’ ankle but the harder he pressed on the man’s throat the less he fought back. For a moment, Magnus felt bad for the guy. He was a fairly large man and clearly wasn’t used to losing in a fight, and his last moments of life would be spent doing just that. 

But then he remembered why he was here, and that thought vacated his mind completely. 

“Mr. Bane? Can we expect your presence in New York?” 

Magnus rolled his eyes, shaking his head exasperatedly to the man on the ground who’s face was now going a light shade of purple. 

“Whatever you’re offering to pay me, I want you to double it. I have some business to attend to but I will be there in two hours.” Without waiting for a response, he ended the call and slid the phone back into his pocket. “I’m so sorry, that was rude of me.” He apologized to the thug. “I didn’t mean to make you feel less adequate by taking another job in front of you. I want you to know that even though I’m getting paid considerably less to kill you, you mean just as much to me.” 

The man responded with a string of curse words and more derogatory slurs. Magnus sighed. “Well, as fun as this has been I have somewhere to be so let’s get this over with.”

The crack of the gunshot was loud but Magnus’ ears were accustomed to the noise, hardly even noticing the volume anymore. He didn’t wait around the apartment long; sending a picture confirmation to the hirer and sweeping the room, efficiently removing any evidence he had ever been there in a matter of minutes. 

He usually took a little more care, but he covered all the basics and ensured that the job would never be traced back to him. This wasn’t the first time he had done this, and it most certainly wouldn’t be the last, and so in a matter of minutes he was surveying the scene of a thug who had taken his own life. 

He had a plane to catch, after all. 

 

***

 

Alec Lightwood hit the punching bag in front of him again, assaulting it with a series of strategic blows. 

His knew his hand to hand combat was fine and he didn’t need more hours of practicing, but he needed the release. After the mission he had just returned from, the bag was a great surrogate for taking his aggression out on. 

It was better the bag than his parents, after all. 

Unsurprisingly, his mother had tried to call him into her office for a debrief almost as soon as his plane had touched the ground and he had been avoiding her call for just as long. For some reason, Alec was the only agent she was adamant on debriefing as soon as he stepped through the door. He knew he couldn’t hide out from her forever, they were in the same building after all. Not to mention his mother was persistent and would probably send someone to fetch him soon; but any time away from her was better than nothing, at least to let him cool his head. 

His hands were starting to ache from the relentless hits they were giving and Alec finally gave himself a moments rest. It wouldn’t do anyone any good if he were to injure himself, especially considering he had another job coming up in a few days. 

He walked over and grabbed a water from the fridge in the training room, downing half of it in one go. He heard the swing of the entry doors behind him, signalling someone entering the room. He fixed the tape on his hands, body poised and on alert.

Alec didn’t need to turn around to know that whoever had entered the room was approaching him from behind. Whoever it was, they were taking slow and deliberate but cautious steps so as not to alert him of their presence. He smirked. The footsteps stopped but Alec knew better than to think that he was alone. The intruder was trying very hard to make themselves invisible, unknowing to the fact that Alec had heard them the moment they entered the room. 

A moment later he heard a slight intake in breath directly behind his right shoulder and whipped around to his left just before a blow connected with his head. He dodged it easily and grabbed a hold of his attackers arm, twisting it down and behind, turning them around so their back was to his front. He used the forward momentum to bring them both to the ground, landing with his knees on either side of their hips and leaving his attacker face down, immobile. 

“I totally could have had you that time!”

Alec grinned, releasing his sister Isabelle from the hold he had her in. He sat back on the mat and watched her roll over, rubbing her shoulder. “Sure, Iz. I wasn’t even paying attention and I still got you.” 

She rolled her eyes. “You’re a dick. A smug dick.” 

“I love you too.” He retorted. Pushing himself off the mat, Alec stood up and held his hand out to her, which she gladly accepted. “So were you just unsuccessfully trying to prove you could beat me again, or was there something you needed?” 

She chose to ignore his jab, in favour of smacking him on the head. Or she tried to at least, Alec dodged her before she got too close. “Mom and Dad want to see you in the conference room. Apparently it’s an emergency.” 

Alec started taking the tape off from around his knuckles, flexing them out. There were a few bruises but nothing that would affect his performance. He had had worse, after all. “Let me guess, they want to talk about my last mission?” 

To his surprise, Isabelle shook her head. “No, Mom didn’t even mention it actually. She wouldn’t tell me what it was about, but she was whispering to Dad when I came in the room.” 

“What were they whispering about?”

Isabelle fixed him with an exasperated look. “Obviously I have no idea, or else I would have started with that. They stopped as soon as I walked in.” She shrugged. “But you can just tell me after the meeting is over.” 

Alec sighed, shaking his head fondly at her. For only 20 years old, Isabelle sometimes appeared much older than she was. He often found himself wishing she could stay young and innocent for just a while longer but considering the world they lived in, it wasn’t likely. “Sure, Iz.” He agreed, kissing her on the head. 

He left the training room, showering and changing quickly. He did his best to cover some of the marks he had received last mission; his father hated to see them, calling them a sign of weakness. Alec was usually pretty good with keeping himself protected but sometimes it was unavoidable. 

Finally clean and clothed, Alec found himself standing before the giant oak conference room doors. This was the room where every mission was briefed and debriefed and he was no stranger to it, had been inside many times before since he was just a child. For some reason though, this time felt different. 

Alec shook away the insecurities. It would do him no good to go into a meeting with his parents, the directors of the Institute, like this. Giving himself only a moment more to collect himself, Alec pushed the doors open, not bothering to knock. 

Inside, seated around the giant table were some of the highest ranking members in the Clave; his mother and father, as well as Victor Aldertree, Lydia Branwell and Imogen Herondale, representatives from various other Clave branches. Alec also noted with interest that the Commander, Jia Penhallow, was in attendance. He had only ever seen the Commander once before in his life, when he was twelve years old. She had been at his parents ascension ceremony, when they had gained control of the New York institution. 

“Alexander, perfect timing. Come and sit down.” All heads in the room turned in his direction and he stood tall with his feet apart and shoulders squared, hands secured behind his back. Alec nodded in greeting, but otherwise held his composure. He was determined not to waver under the intense gazes that were currently fixed on him. His mother stood up and gestured for him to take the empty seat in between her and his father, pointed look on her face.

Once Alec was seated, Jia stood up from her chair. “Mr. Lightwood, thank you for joining us so quickly. The Clave has been very pleased with your recent work. You have exceeded expectations and have quickly become one of our strongest protectors.” 

Alec nodded. “Thank you, ma’am. It’s an honour.” 

Protecting was something that Alec had known ever since he was a child. He had been born into the family business and began his training at a very young age, much younger than most other protectors due to his parent’s stature. When he turned sixteen, he received his first job and ever since had been working to better his skills, moving up in the ranks. 

It was safe to say that Alec hadn’t had the most normal of childhood’s - or families for that matter. Instead of love, play and affection, Alec’s childhood had been filled with rigorous training, learning languages, tactics, survival skills and every form of combat known to man. It was hard to be a normal kid when you were learning 25 ways to disable a man with your bare hands before you had even learned to tie your own shoelaces. 

The protectors were employed by a company called the Clave. In the beginning, the organization had been created to offer protection to individuals who found themselves in danger, a witness protection of sorts. They would work tirelessly to ensure that these individuals were kept safe and away from harm that was threatening them. The Clave had even had an affiliation with jurisdictional agencies such as the FBI, CSI and the CBSA, working to protect the victims of crime and their families. 

But as time went on, the motto began to change. What used to be a promise of safety and good, slowly transformed into something more sinister. Their priority went from helping those in need to helping those who needed to get away from the law. Many of the missions Alec went on were for less than savoury clients, hiding from the wrong they had done. Ties were cut with the law enforcement agencies and the Clave officially became their own authority.

And so Alec hardly felt any satisfaction at the Commander's words. Protecting and the Clave was all he had ever known, but over the years the organization had been slipping into something he was having trouble supporting. He worked tirelessly to stamp down those feelings though, because the Clave didn’t tolerate anything but complete loyalty and obedience. And so Alec nodded politely to the Commander as if her words had been anything more than an empty acclamation. 

She cleared her throat and turned to the projection screen behind her. The Commander was a down to business type of woman and wasted no time in getting to the point. On the screen was a picture of a man who was very well known in their line of work; Valentine Morgenstern. Valentine had, at one point, been a member of the Clave. But before Alec was born, he turned sides and had gotten into bed with the very people they protected their clients from. It took a few years for the Clave to notice his infidelity and by that time he had made enough connections in the world of corruption that it didn’t matter.

He had since become one of the largest global crime lords and the biggest pain in the Clave’s ass. Many people feared Valentine and, if they crossed him, needed the Clave’s protection. Many of their own had died in the line of duty at the hands of Valentine’s men, protecting those who feared him. 

“I’m sure you are all aware of the man behind me and the wrongs he has done.” Everyone nodded. “Then we’ll get right into it. We have received intel that Morgenstern is back and conducting business in Europe.” 

Lydia looked from the tablet in her hand to Jia, curious expression on her face. “Ma’am, I don’t mean to be insolent, but isn’t Valentine locked away in a facility in Russia?”

Aldertree looked to the commander for approval, before answering Lydia’s question. “Valentine Morgenstern escaped custody a little less than a week ago. They have yet to figure out how he did it, seeing as he was in one of the most secure penitentiary locations we have. The information has been kept on a need-to-know basis, but considering the severity of his recent crimes, the situation is now need to know.”

“Yes, and since his escape, bodies have been piling up and even more have gone missing, which is why it is essential that we act fast.”

Alec, as well as every other protector, knew the details of Valentine’s arrest. Ten years ago, his parents had been on the mission that had finally brought Valentine to justice. They had gotten ahold of his location as well as a handful of encrypted files detailing the in’s and out’s of his operation. It had turned out to be the missing piece the Clave needed to finally take him down, and his parent's had gone down as heroes. 

Jia switched the slide through various crime scene photos, no doubt of people that had gotten in Valentine’s way. They were gruesome and every single one showed overwhelming evidence of overkill. “According to our sources, Morgenstern has picked up right where he left off a decade ago. He is back dabbling in the human trafficking ring.” The photos flashed across the screen, each one more violent and brutal than the last. “From what we have gathered, these are a few of the men who were working with him that tried to argue against the idea.” Alec saw Lydia grimace, but hold her composure. 

“He’s clearly got the manpower to spare if he’s killing off his own men so freely.” Imogen noted. 

“I’m sure there is no shortage of lowlifes who want to be a part of his organization.” Jia responded. “But at the moment, they are not our concern. What we need to focus on, is him.” Another picture of Valentine filled the screen, talking on a cellphone on some city street. It was a recent picture, the signs of age and stress showing on his features. 

Alec still wasn’t sure what his role in this mission was, or even what the mission was. From the sounds of it they weren’t going to be sending a protector to aid Valentine, but maybe one of his henchman? 

His father was clearly on the same page. “What does this have to do with the protectors, Commander?” 

Jia nodded, switching the slide again. Valentine’s face was replaced by a picture of a younger man. He looked to be of Asian descent, with almond eyes and tanned skin. He was dressed unlike any other man Alec had ever seen, in glittery, studded clothing and eccentric makeup. He might even say he was attractive, with his sharp cheekbones and bright, piercing eyes. 

“Magnus Bane?” Lydia asked, raising an eyebrow. “I always assumed him to be one of Valentine’s men.” 

At that moment, almost as if it had been planned, the doors to the conference room swung open and a black-clad figure strolled in. “I consider myself to be more of a freewheeling man, myself. Wouldn’t want to be tied down to someone as dull as Valentine Morgenstern, now would I?” 

Magnus Bane sent a dazzling smile around at the group, clearly soaking up the attention he was receiving. He looked the embodiment of his picture, the only difference being his clothing and makeup choices. Alec found it hard to draw his eyes away, if only for the gravitating allure of the man. 

Jia pursed her lips. “Everyone, let me introduce you to Magnus Bane, the hitman we have hired to take out Valentine Morgenstern.” 

 

***

 

The silence that settled over the room was almost amusing. Almost. 

A tanned man with a well trimmed mustache - who Magnus recognized as Victor Aldertree - stood up from his chair, frown on his face. “Commander, do you really think -”

She silenced him with a look similar to a mother hushing her child that actually _was_ amusing, and Magnus let out an involuntary chuckle. The man gave him a sharp look before sitting down, subdued. 

Magnus took a look around the still shocked faces at the table. He recognized a majority of it’s inhabitants; The higher-ups of the Clave, Jia Penhallow, Imogen Herondale, Aldertree and of course Maryse and Robert Lightwood, both of whom regarded him with thinly-veiled disgust. There was also a young woman with blonde hair slicked back into a ponytail that Magnus didn’t recognize, the one who had assumed he had been working with Valentine. She, unlike her associates, was looking at him with more curiosity than anything else. 

The last member of the table looked as if he wanted to be anywhere else than where he was currently. Magnus could see he was trying to appear to have an air of professionalism but the grumpiness was hard to miss in his expression, like someone had kicked his puppy or something. He was sat between Robert and Maryse Lightwood and was looking at Magnus like he wasn’t sure what to make of him. 

Though if Magnus was forced to sit between the two heinous Lightwoods, he would probably have a similar look on his face. 

The man was clearly a Lightwood - his dark hair and hazel eyes a dead giveaway - but seeing him didn’t give Magnus the same fiery rage in his stomach that seeing his parents did. He assumed he must be the offspring of Maryse and Robert; he remembered hearing about their prodigal son and had no doubt that this must be him. His pouty lips and brooding expression was oddly enticing and Magnus offhandedly wondered what team the man batted for. 

Jia moved from her spot at the head of the table and moved towards where Magnus was standing. She extended her hand to shake, though Magnus could see the gesture caused her some discomfort. “Welcome, Mr. Bane. Thank you for coming with such haste.” 

Magnus shook her hand, putting on his biggest false grin. “Well, you know how it goes. When the Clave beckons, you make haste.” He winked. “Or else.” 

He was, as expected, met with a room of blank looks. “It seems no one has much of an interest in my jokes today.” He muttered, shaking his head. 

Maryse Lightwood chose that moment to interject. “Jia, if I may. We have perfectly trained staff on our team here in New York that could handle this mission. We don’t need to hire … outside help.” She glanced over at Magnus, mouth pursed. “Might I suggest my son, Alexander? He is easily one of the best protectors we’ve got, and is perfectly capable of completing this mission on his own.” 

The cute, grumpy one - Alexander - spoke up. His voice was deep and quiet, but held an authority that surprised Magnus, considering the ranks of the people seated around him. “You said it yourself, I’m one of the best _protectors_ we’ve got. Killing people isn’t in my job description, mother.” 

He said the last part disdainfully and with such venom that it was clear he had been brought up to be exactly like his parents, despising anyone who didn’t follow the Clave’s unyielding ways. The Lightwoods had almost as little respect for him and his people as he did for them. Magnus had been hoping that the next generation of Lightwoods wouldn’t be satan spawns and would maybe be marginally more tolerable than the last, but no dice. 

What a shame too, the moody one was actually cute. 

Imogen Herondale nodded, looking from Alec to Jia to Maryse. “I have to agree with Agent Lightwood.” She stated finally. “While he could easily handle the mission, we have a code to stick to and murdering people in cold blood - even vile ones like Valentine Morgenstern - is not a part of that.”

“It would be more favourable to have one of our own men go, Commander. Valentine is a threat that needs to be vanquished and in order to protect the population, we need to make that happen. My son is the perfect candidate.” 

Magnus rolled his eyes. It didn’t surprise him in the slightest that that would be something Robert would say. He was all about code and righteousness, but only when it pleased him. He was also not surprised to see Robert and Maryse trying to offer up their son to become a killer, volunteering him almost excitedly like it was some sort of honour. The Lightwood’s had always been an interesting family, to say the least. 

Alec’s eyes closed for a moment before he stood up, shaking his head at his father. A few heads at the table looked up in surprise. “I’m sorry Commander, but if this is the mission I’m going to have to respectfully decline. While I agree that Morgenstern needs to be removed, I won’t be the one to do it.” His eyes flicked to Magnus.

Jia regarded Alec for a moment, piercing eyes studying him closely. While Magus didn’t make it a habit to know the inner-workings of the Clave or it’s people, it was clear from the body language in the room that neither Robert nor Jia were often questioned or refused, especially by an agent as young as Alec. He had to admit, the Lightwood kid had some balls. 

He also needed to focus on the meeting, and stop his mind from wandering to the director's son’s genitals. 

Eventually, Jia gave a small nod and Alec relaxed back into his chair, a flash of relief crossing his features. “Mr. Lightwood is right. We have a code to honour and I fully intend on keeping to that. While some things have gone out of our control in the past, we are not deliberate killers.” She turned to Magnus. “That is where you come in.” 

He waggled his fingers at the group, sauntering over to an empty chair and sliding into it gracefully. “Deliberate killer, at your service.” 

Jia continued on as if he hadn’t spoken. “Magnus will undertake the mission of locating and assassinating Valentine. He is highly trained and experienced, something we need for a man of Valentine’s caliber.” Magnus grinned, winking at her. She ignored him, again. 

“You’re going to send him in alone after Valentine?” The blonde with the ponytail asked, shooting him a brief worried glance. Magnus decided in that moment that he liked her. 

“No, Mr. Bane will not be going in alone. We’re going to be sending him with one of our best protective agents.” 

All heads, including Magnus’, turned to the youngest Lightwood who’s hazel eyes had blown as wide as saucers. He seemed to be attempting to regain his posture, without luck. His mother and father were looking at Jia with similar looks of shock, mixed with the typical look of disgust whenever Magnus was mentioned. The only one at the table who seemed to be unaffected by the news was Aldertree. 

“So we send the Lightwood boy with the hitman?” He asked, bored. “Might I ask why? We needn’t endanger one of our own when we have no reason to.” 

Imogen raised an eyebrow. “Would _you_ like to go in against Valentine Morgenstern alone and without protection?”

“Of course not.” Aldertree replied easily. “But that’s because if I were to go, I would have the full force of the Clave behind me. But this … man -” He gestured to Magnus, “- has made a career out of killing people and I don’t see why we need to risk the lives of our people to keep him safe.” 

Magnus heard the words but they rolled off his back easily. He knew exactly what the Clave and their people thought of him and his career and never pretended otherwise. He had heard worse after all, some from the people in this very room, and negative comments hardly got to him anymore. Especially when the people slewing those comments were usually the ones who ended up paying him large sums of money for the very services they had been slandering. 

Buttoning up his suit jacket and sitting up in his chair, Magnus cleared his throat. “If I may.” Seven pairs of eyes turned in his direction. “While I hate to agree with whatever-his-name-is over there, I regretfully must. I am perfectly qualified to complete this job solo, and can guarantee it done within a week's time.” 

Tall, grumpy and handsome scoffed. Magnus turned to him, eyebrow raised. “Problem, pretty boy?” 

The man ignored the pet name, looking unimpressed. “You think you can take on _Valentine Morgenstern_ single handedly, and have the entire job done within a week?” 

“A week is pretty generous, actually. I could probably have it done within four days.”

Alec rolled his eyes, crossing his arms across his broad chest. “Your usual jobs include petty crime lords and low life scum bags. That hardly qualifies you to take down on one of the most dangerous men in the world. This is a big, and dangerous, job.”

Magnus smirked. “I assure you, Alexander, I am perfectly capable of taking big things. In fact, I quite enjoy it.” Lydia choked, cheeks flaming red. Alec raised an eyebrow but otherwise remained expressionless. “But it sounds like you have been doing your homework. I like that.” 

Alec shrugged. “I’m the best for a reason.” 

Magnus grinned. “It almost sounds as if you are trying to convince me to take you with me, Alexander. Fancy a vacation?” 

Alec opened his mouth but shut it promptly, eyeing the Commander. She, along with the rest of the table, had been watching the exchange silently. When it appeared Alec didn’t have a response, she stood up. “Agent Lightwood, you will be accompanying Magnus on this mission. Magnus, if you want your pay, you will accept these terms, no questions.” Her voice was hard and authoritative and left no room for argument, even from Magnus. 

“Whatever you say, Commander.” He sent her a mock salute. He didn’t want to work with the Lightwood boy, but at least he would be pretty to look at. It would make the time go by faster. Magnus wouldn’t mind getting him alone and away from the prying eyes of his parents anyway. 

She glanced to Alec, who was still standing with his arms crossed over his chest. The man seemed to be in silent conversation with his father, both of them looking intently at each other. Robert clearly won the argument because moments later, Alec let out a short sigh and faced the Commander. “When do we leave?”

 

***

 

Alec looked down at the tablet, Magnus’ face smirking back up at him. 

He hadn’t been lying when he said he had done research beforehand, but that was just offhand knowledge. Alec liked to be as up to date on the crime community as he could so that he was never surprised on a mission. 

Now though, he wanted to know exactly who he would be working with.

The Clave had an extensive database on almost everyone they had ever worked with, protected or offered protection from. Magnus, Alec noted with interest, was on all three of those lists. The commander was right that he had an impressive background, if a long list of clean kills could be counted as impressive. He had been hired by countless people and hadn’t left a single messy job. Even Alec couldn’t pretend that he wasn’t impressed. 

Not much was known about his past or family history other than his place of birth, Indonesia. There was no family records and no personal records after his eighth birthday. Alec wondered what kind of childhood led someone to that life, a life that revolved solely around killing. He was curious of course, but knew that he could go his entire life without knowing. The sooner he was done with Magnus Bane, the better.

“You’re going on a secret mission? And when were you going to tell me?” 

Alec swiftly locked the tablet and slid it into the open away bag on his bed, glancing up at his sister who was looking at him coldly from the doorframe. She strode over to the bed, flopping back onto it and messing up a pile of clothes he had just finished folding. Alec shot her an exasperated expression and began picking them up. 

“I’m not allowed to tell you.” She rolled onto her back, pout on her lips. “C’mon Iz, don’t try and guilt me. You know I would tell you more if I could.” 

She sighed, sitting up and crossing her legs. She grabbed some of the clothes she had messed up, refolding them and putting them into Alec’s bag that was sitting open on the bed. They almost looked like a normal set of siblings, talking trivial things like what they did that day while Alec packed for a trip. Besides the fact that Isabelle had a short sword strapped to her thigh and Alec’s bag was filled with blades, ammunition and various firearms, on his way to aid a man in killing someone. 

The Commander had told them the plane would be taking off at dawn the next day, and that they would find out the location once they boarded. All information was secured and was only told to a limited number of people in order to keep Valentine and his men from figuring out that they were onto him. Despite their efforts, Alec had a feeling that he already knew, but a little bit of surprise had to be better than nothing. Besides, if Magnus was half as good as he said he was, hopefully this whole mess would be over soon and he could be done with it. 

Given his career, Alec was used to being around death. He had been since he was young and in training; in this line of work it was often inevitable. A job gone wrong or even having to take extreme measures in order to protect a client were common occurrences, but they never seemed to get any easier. Even though he had only done so on a handful of desperate occasions, Alec hated taking the life of another human being. 

Which was the main reason why this mission wasn’t sitting right with him. Even though Valentine was a global threat involved in a plethora of horrible deeds, hiring somebody who’s entire purpose was to take his life felt wrong. Alec tried to reason that if given the chance, Valentine would take both his and Magnus’ lives in a heartbeat, but it didn’t do much in the way of easing his thoughts. 

“Can you at least tell me who you’re going with? I know it’s not Jace because he’s still in Prague or Clary because she’s in Moscow. Please tell me they’re not sending you in alone. I hate when they do that.” 

Alec looked down at his little sister, silently begging her to stop asking him questions. Alec wasn’t used to this, keeping secrets from her. Ever since they had been young, she had always been his number one confidante. She was the first one to ever know about his sexuality, probably even before Alec himself, and had kept his secret for years before he was finally ready to come out. Even now, she was always the first person he went to when he had a stressful job or a fight with with their parents. He desperately wanted to talk to her about the mission, just to tell _someone_ , but the Commander had been more than clear that this mission was not to be discussed. With anyone. 

“Iz, please. You’ll know everything as soon as I get back, okay?”

“And when are you coming back?” She asked pointedly, knowing perfectly well Alec didn’t have an answer.

He shook his head. “I don’t know. My partner doesn’t seem to think it will be a long job, but I’m not too sure.” 

She placed the last of his clothing in the bag and leaned back on the pillows. “This isn’t fair. You always seem to get the interesting missions, or the high profile ones.” 

He laughed humorlessly, shaking his head again. “Believe me, I would gladly trade this job off if I could.” He paused. “But not to you.” 

She quirked an eyebrow. “And why is that?” 

Alec closed his eyes and an image of Valentine’s face sneered back at him, tattooed to the inside of his eyelids. The thought of Isabelle going anywhere near that monster made his stomach churn. “Because it’s dangerous and you’re my little sister.” 

Isabelle smiled at him. “That’s sweet, Alec.” She shrugged, grinning. “But I could easily take down two men twice my size at once, and you know that.”

He grinned back, hoping that Isabelle couldn’t see how forced it was. “I know.” He wondered if she would be joking around this way if she really knew where he was going. Probably not. 

“But seriously, is it true that the Commander recommended you specifically for this mission?”

Alec turned away from her, picking up the now full bag. “Yeah she did. I don’t really see why though.” 

Isabelle snorted. “Because you’re the best agent they’ve got and they know that.”

Alec shook his head. He knew he was a good agent and he was confident in the work he did, but he by no means felt he was the best. His parents and the Clave just put pressure on him, forcing him up to their barely achievable standards.

He moved his bag to the door where the rest of his belongings were waiting for his departure in the morning. Since he hadn’t been given a location other than the very vague ‘Europe’, he hadn’t known what to pack and his superiors hadn’t been much help on giving him a clue, so he packed for pretty much anything. When going on missions, it was important to only pack the essentials and never anything that you would want to lose. Too often to count, Alec had to wake up in the middle of the night to go to his client, leaving all of his personal belongings behind.

The only thing he had that he never left home without was a silver chain around his neck. The pendant - a silver arrowhead - stayed hidden most often beneath the collar of his shirt but remained a calm and constant presence. 

He flopped down on the bed beside Isabelle who had her knees tucked up to her chest, resting her chin on them. “How dangerous is this mission?” Gone was the teasing lilt of her voice, replaced with quiet nervousness. 

Alec turned his head and met her eyes. They were wide and scared and Alec wished he could tell her something that would make that go away. Alec was a protector for a living, but more often than not he found himself unable to protect the people he loved from the dangers and hardships of the world, no matter how hard he tried. He rationed that if she knew more about where he was jetting off to the next day, she would just worry more. Not wanting to lie to her, he settled on, “It’s going to be okay, Iz.” 

She shook her head. “You can’t tell me it’s going to be okay when I find out you’re going on a mission to god knows where and that you have no idea when you’re coming back.” 

“I’m going to come back.” Even to his own ears he didn’t sound convincing. 

“And if you don’t?”

“I will.” 

They sat in silence, room fading slowly into darkness. At some point Isabelle moved from her sitting position, stretching out on the bed and moving closer to Alec. He pulled her into a hug and dropped a quick kiss on her head. She hugged him back tightly and Alec pretended not to notice that her cheeks were wet. 

He wasn’t aware that they had fallen asleep until he woke up to the blaring of his alarm, sound reverberating around the quiet room. Isabelle was curled on the opposite side of the bed, clearly having had fallen asleep last night as well. Alec shut the alarm off quickly so as not to disturb her. 

Padding silently into the en suite bathroom, he changed and worked through his morning routine methodically. The Commander had ordered basic uniform (black pants, shirt and boots) and said they would be given a change of clothing on the plane. Not that Alec minded much. He wore the standard uniform pretty much daily, no matter if he was working or not. It didn’t take him long to get ready, Alec wasn’t one for fretting about his appearance. Protectors were supposed to be invisible, to fade into the background, and that’s exactly what he did. 

Before long he was standing in front of the door, bag in hand. He had written a short note for Isabelle, knowing that she wouldn’t be happy he hadn’t woken her up to say goodbye, but telling her he would be in contact as soon as he could. It hurt him to leave his sister without saying goodbye but he had to keep telling himself he would be coming back in a short time to get through it. They had taken all of his and Magnus’ personal cell phones and forms of communication, yet another thing they would be receiving new on the plane. The Clave was taking no chances with this mission, and Alec wondered idly what the budget was that they had allotted for the two of them. 

Due to the early hour the building was nearly empty, only a few protectors milling around, most likely having just returned from missions themselves. Alec suspected the Commander planned it that way due to the sensitivity of the mission. The less people that were around, the less questions they would have to answer. 

The Clave had a small airport of it’s own but due to the nature and tenuity of their missions it was located off site. They did have a helicopter on base though, which moved them to and from the landing strip. Alec approached the elevator that led to helipad, finding a small group waiting for him at the bottom. His mother and father were there, along with Jia and Aldertree. Alec nodded to the group when he approached, standing tall and at attention. 

“Lightwood.” Aldertree greeted, the Commander also giving a curt nod in greeting. 

Magnus was nowhere to be seen, unsurprisingly to Alec. Magnus didn’t seem to be the punctual type. 

The group stood in stilted silence until finally they heard Magnus’ approaching footsteps. He sidled right up to Alec, winking. “Good morning, Agent Lightwood. Ready for our little romantic getaway?”

Alec suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at the sound of Magnus’ voice. He had an easy smile on his face like he wasn’t about to depart on a mission where his only objective was to take someone’s life. Or where his very own could just as easily be taken from him.

Like Alec, he had been instructed to wear all black but had unsurprisingly made some personal modifications. He was wearing a pair of black ripped jeans that looked much too tight to be comfortable paired with a black knit sweater with sequins sewn into the wool. He had on black combat boots, except they went up to his knees and had silver buckles and chains up the sides. 

The Commander regarded Magnus’ appearance as he approached the group, bag thrown over his shoulder casually. He had a smirk on his face and looked entirely unaffected by the scrutinizing gaze of the Commander. “How did everyone sleep?” 

Alec’s mother sighed, turning to the Commander. “Are we really going to go through with this?” She asked, not bothering to quiet her tone nor her obvious gesture in Magnus’ direction. Magnus was still smirking, admiring his black nail polish. 

Jia nodded. She stood up tall, authoritatively, and Alec reflexively stood at attention. His parents and Aldertree did the same. Magnus looked up and around at the group of them, sighing when he noticed their collective postures. Begrudgingly, he stood up straighter and gave a mock salute with an eyeroll. 

They stepped into the elevator and no one said anything during the ride to the top floor. Alec could feel the tension radiating in the small space like livewire. He was used to feeling the thrum of excitement, of impending danger and adrenaline before a mission. This feeling was not new to him but for some reason this time it was amplified, stronger somehow. He could feel the blood thrumming through his veins, charging him with nervous electricity. 

He could feel the nerves of his superiors too. This was easily one of the most high profile missions the Clave had ever undertaken and it was clear to see that everyone was feeling the pressure of the outcome.

He chalked his own nerves up to the high stakes of the mission, trying to reassure himself that this mission was just like any other. Protect the client, keep them safe. 

Except this time the client technically was Magnus, and Alec needed to ensure that he lived long enough to kill one of the most dangerous criminals in the world. Easy peasy. 

He knew that no matter how he thought about it, this mission would always be different from any other he had ever worked on. 

The elevator slowed when they reached the top floor, doors sliding open to reveal the helipad. The open sky was dark, sun still about an hour or so from peeking over the horizon. The helicopter was alreading running and ready to go and Alec could feel the strong wind from the blades. It did nothing to help the pent up energy he could feel building slowly. 

The others stepped off the elevator, leaving just him and Magnus at the back. Before Alec could make a move to exit, Magnus’ fingers wrapped around his elbow. “Alexander, a moment please?” 

Alec jerked his elbow out of the other man's grasp but halted his efforts to leave. Magnus rolled his eyes at the gesture but took the sign and continued. “I know you are not a fan of me, and I you, but we are being forced together in this mission.”

Alec made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat. 

Magnus pursed his lips, letting out a short breath. “Look, like I said yesterday, I can have this mission done in a few days. I don’t need a protector so you don’t have to come with me. You can stay in the hotel, order room service and have a few days off wherever we’re going. They’ll never know the difference.” He looked Alec over once. “And you look like you could use a vacation. You’re very … tense.” 

Alec laughed humorlessly. “You clearly have a lot to learn about the Clave if you think I could sit in a hotel for days and they wouldn’t know exactly what I ate and when I went to the bathroom.” He stepped closer, voice dropping. “I don’t know if you’re stupid or just naive but if you think you can go up against Valentine alone, then you might just be a little bit of both. The only reason I’m here is to do my job and that's to make sure that you live long enough to wipe out Valentine, so let’s make sure our lines aren’t getting crossed. Are we clear?”

Magnus regarded him with a steely expression, eyes dark. Alec felt a flash of guilt, but pushed it away quickly. Magnus was just a hitman. Alec would be done with him in a few days. 

_Magnus was just a hitman. Just a hitman._

Magnus took a step back and straightened out his top, expression smoothing into that of calm indifference. He picked his bag up off the floor, swinging it over his shoulder and making a point of hitting Alec with it as he walked by. “Crystal, Alexander.” 

And with that, he moved out onto the helipad and towards the helicopter waiting to take them away.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mission begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi angels!
> 
> If you're tweeting, tag #EOSfic or #insiemes so that I can see them :) 
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy!

Ever since childhood, Alec had had an issue with flying. 

As a boy, he had never understood the logistics behind a giant steel machine, weighted down by thousands of pounds of luggage and people, being able to sustain itself in flight without plummeting to the ground. Even when he got older and learned the physics behind it all, the concept never sat right with him. What was logical about strapping yourself into a flying death trap when you could just as easily strap yourself into a car and stay on the ground. If it was up to Alec, he would be driving to missions every single time. 

But unfortunately due to his career choice, flying was inevitable and often unavoidable. For many missions, their clients were located overseas and it would be illogical for him to drive halfway across the world when he could fly there in just a few hours. Sometimes it was even required to follow a client across the world, and to do that Alec needed to be in a plane. 

So Alec had since gotten over his fear of flying, but that didn’t mean he was comfortable with the concept. 

He glanced down at the file in his lap, focusing on the words on the page rather than the fact that he was thousands of miles above sea level. They had finally been given more information on the case and Valentine himself, and Alec was starting to piece together as much as he could with the limited intelligence. According to the Clave’s sources, he was last seen in Vienna but undercover agents reported that he was staying in a municipality near the border, a small village called Purkersdorf. They didn’t know much on his specific whereabouts but had several reports on where he had been and where he would likely be next. 

As for what he was doing, they had no idea. The file included several profiles of men and women who had been abducted or reported missing since Valentine's release in some of the cities he was known to have visited, the Clave tying them to his human trafficking cartel. They knew he was abducting innocent people, selling them as slaves, and carting them to other countries but they had no motive or end game. Alec tried to see a pattern between the victims without success. 

“Could you be a doll and grab me another one of these, my darling?”

Alec looked up to see Magnus flashing the female stewardess a flirty smile, dropping a wink in her direction and holding out his now empty martini glass. 

“Actually, he’s fine. He could do with some water, though.” Alec interjected sternly, shutting the case file and throwing a hard look in Magnus’ direction. 

The stewardess looked between the two of them, conflicted. Alec cleared his throat, signalling that she was excused. Alec hated playing what Jace always called the “Lightwood card”, but it got the job done when need be. Once she realized that if she wanted to keep her job she should follow Alec's orders, she sent an apologetic glance towards Magnus before hurrying off. Though, Alec didn’t miss the slow drag of her fingers down his bicep, nor the note Magnus slipped into her open palm. 

When she had left, Magnus turned his attention to Alec. “Alexander, I am perfectly capable of ordering my own drinks, thank you very much. But if you want to be a gentleman and order them for me, who am I to deny a man the pleasure of his virtues?” 

Alec ignored the bait, instead moving to the seat across from Magnus’. They were on one of the Clave’s private jets and had the entire thing to themselves. Alec had spent most of the trip so far on the other side of the plane sleeping and doing his best to ignore Magnus and his existence entirely but according to the GPS on his new phone, they would be landing shortly. 

Alec had a lot riding on this mission. Besides the fact that it was given to him by the Commander herself, his parents were also weighing in on it. Like a heavy-weight championship. His mother had pulled him aside before they took off that morning. She explained to him that the Commander had requested Alec be next in line of the Lightwood siblings to run the Institute. Should this mission succeed, he would begin training immediately. Maryse had been more than specific that this mission was to go well. Or else. 

So Alec needed this mission to be a success and in order to do that he needed to work together with Magnus. 

“I’m going to assume you haven’t read this.” Alec stated plainly, holding up the brown case file. 

Magnus looked unimpressed. “Of course I have.” Gone was the teasing lilt to his voice, instead replaced with a calm but steely apathy. “I know my profession doesn’t measure up to the Clave’s high standards Alexander, but contrary to what you have been taught to believe, I am a professional.” 

Alec pursed his lips, doing his best not to let his surprise show. As much as he didn’t want to admit that the other man was right, he was correct in his assumption the Clave didn’t see him as anything more than a means to an end. Not that he would ever know that. 

He opened up the file again, moving forward. “I need to know what you’re planning. I don’t know how you usually approach these situations, but we need to discuss itinerary, scenarios, surveillance -” 

Alec looked up at the sound of Magnus clearing his throat. Loudly and rather obnoxiously. Alec glanced up. The corner of his mouth was tipped up in a smirk and he was twirling one of the many rings on his fingers absently, looking at Alec. “Um - yes?” 

Magnus started. “Pretty boy -” 

“It’s Alec.” 

A pause. 

“Right. Alexander, if I may interrupt you for just one moment.” To Alec’s surprise, Magnus brazenly leaned forward and plucked the case file from his lap, scanning it only for a moment before closing it and tossing it on the table without a care. “I understand this mission and the amount of pressure you must be getting from your superiors, but I cannot express enough how much your services will not be needed.” Alec opened his mouth to object, but Magnus held up a single, delicate finger, silencing him. “But, if I have learned anything about you so far it's that you won't simply stand by and look pretty while I do my work, will you?" Alec levelled him with a look. "I thought not. So how about we cut a deal, hm?” 

Alec’s immediate reaction was to deny and deflect but he clamped down and forced himself to nod, hearing Magnus out. It was doing neither of them any good to continue arguing back and forth. 

“Now you need someone to take out the big, bad wolf and I, in turn, need some information from the Clave. So as much as I wish you would just stand back and let me do my work on my own, I will promise to follow along with your silly little rules for this mission and play nice. Only if you will offer me what I am after from the Clave’s databases in return.” 

“You not only want me to defy my orders but you also want me to get you illegal information from one of the most well protected databases in the world?” Alec laughed. “You’re not as smart as they made you out to be, Bane.” 

Magnus’ face split into a feral grin that reminded Alec of the cheshire cat in that movie Isabelle and Jace liked so much as children. It made Alec nervous, which was saying something considering some of the creeps Alec had dealt with in the past. “Ah _Lightwood_ , that is where you are wrong. You see, if you don’t take me up on this offer I will flee, taking all the information I have since learned from and about the Clave with me and leaving you here to deal with the consequences. Now if I know anything about your darling parents, and I believe I do, they’re not going to be happy that their golden boy wonder let the bad little hitman go with some of their most trusted secrets, will they?”

Alec knew he was trapped and from the smug expression on his face, Magnus was also aware. He leaned back in his chair, tapping his ringed fingers together and watching Alec closely, infuriating smirk still in place. 

Keeping his expression impassive, Alec weighed the alternatives. He knew letting Magnus go was not an option, at least not one he was willing to explore. He had already spent a night in the Institute and Alec had no idea how much he had learned about the inner workings of the Clave, let alone all the information he had gathered during the meetings and briefings from this morning and the night before. Alec didn’t know what the repercussions would be if his parents or the Commander found out that Magnus Bane was on the loose with all of that information, but he had no interest in finding out. 

On the other hand, he couldn’t very easily hack into the Clave’s database to reveal classified information to Magnus. To a _hitman_. He had no idea what kind of information Magnus was actually after but whatever it was, it probably wasn’t something Alec should be caught looking into. 

And so the solution was clear. Or at least as clear as it could be. What Alec needed was time; he needed to buy himself enough time to complete the mission and then somehow get back to the Clave about Magnus’ disloyalties, leaving him to their hands. Whatever happened to him after that wasn’t his problem. Alec was only obligated to protect him from Valentine and his men after all, whatever Magnus brought upon himself from crossing the Clave was no one’s fault but his own. 

He shut out the voice in the back of his mind telling him that this wasn’t a good idea and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, meeting Magnus’ unwavering stare with one of his own. “Okay Bane, you have yourself a deal, but first we get Valentine. Then and only then, will I give you access to whatever your heart desires with our database.” 

Magnus winked. “Whatever my heart desires? Oh Alexander, how you spoil me.” Alec remained expressionless. “Fine. How do I know you’re being truthful? The Lightwood’s aren’t exactly known for their honesty, after all.” 

Alec shouldered the blow, swallowing down the sour taste in his mouth. “I’m not like my parents, Magnus.” He tried to convey as much honesty in the words as he could manage, praying Magnus couldn’t see through the falsity. “You can trust me.” 

As soon as the words left his mouth, Alec felt physically ill. He had worked most of his life to try and bring truth to those words, but right now he was more like his parents than he wanted to admit. Lying and manipulating someone into doing something only for self-benefit and then vexing them was something the two of his parents would do in a heartbeat. And had done on multiple occasions. 

The silence on the plane was almost deafening. He held Magnus’ gaze but not without some effort, his willpower being tested under the hard gaze from the other man. Alec could feel his heartbeat all the way down in his palms, clenching them tightly to try and quell the feeling. Alec could feel the tension as it were something solid and visible in the room and had to fight the urge to look away, grab for the necklace around his throat, do _something_. 

A few moments later, with a sense of finality, Magnus nodded. “Deal.” His position mirrored that of Alec’s own and the protector found himself working to keep his composure. There was something about this hitman that made him lose all his professionalism, something he couldn’t quite place. Ever since he had met Magnus, he felt off kilter as if his entire being was somehow off balanced. 

Magnus held his hand out to shake. _This is the best outcome for everyone_ , Alec told himself. _I’m just following orders_. 

Yet the tiny voice in the back of his mind, that he had annoyingly identified as his conscience, was persistently reminding him that this was not the best outcome for everyone. _What about Magnus?_

But Alec couldn’t afford to think like that. Not right now. Not when his family name and career were riding on the success of this mission. 

He fit his hand in Magnus’ and shook it firmly. 

“Deal.” 

 

***

 

Austria was one of the countries that Magnus had surprisingly never been to before. 

It was one of those places he had always meant to visit, but never got the chance to between work and his personal life. He had hoped that one day he might be sent there for a job but as it remained, he wasn’t able to choose that kind of thing. If he had any choice in where he worked, he would be sipping a ice cold pina colada on the beach while he took the life of his next job. 

As it was, Magnus’ first impression of Austria admittedly wasn’t the best. They were hit with an immense wall of heat the minute they stepped off the plane, making Magnus immediately thankful for the expensive setting spray he had packed in his carry on. The few hundred metre walk across the tarmac was enough to have both his and Alec’s shirts sticking to their chests with perspiration, sweat slick on their skin. Magnus felt his hair deflate in a matter of minutes, the gel he had put in that morning no match for the sweltering heat.

The positive side of the heat was that Alec finally started taking off some of his many layers. Since Magnus had met him the day before, he had seen the man in the same black pants, shirt and leather jacket combo. His first thought when he had seen Alec this morning was that he hadn't changed out of his outfit from the night before, but he wouldn’t be surprised at this point if Alec was one of those men who had ten exact copies of the same, boring outfit. 

But now because of the heat, Alec had taken off his trusted leather jacket, giving Magnus a nice view of his biceps and the muscles in his back as his shirt clung to him. He hadn’t had any luck in peeling back any of the layers of Alec’s bristled personality, but he couldn’t really complain once he saw what the younger man was hiding under all that fabric. As far as Magnus was concerned, he could be grouchy all he wanted as long as he kept his shirt off. 

He watched appreciatively as Alec bent over to grab both of their bags from the conveyor belt, silently hoping that Alec’s jeans would be the next piece of clothing to go. Magnus was surprised with himself at just how intrigued the Lightwood boy made him, but just because Alec was unfortunate enough to inherit his parents’ bristled personality, didn’t mean that he wasn’t extremely pleasant to look at. 

And he was very nice to look at. 

Which was why he almost missed it when Alec tried to hand him his bag, eyebrows raised questioningly when Magnus remained unresponsive (and if he was distracted by Alec’s biceps, no one had to know). Magnus just shook his head, clearing it, and took the bag as he turned towards the door. 

As much as he despised the Clave and all they stood for, he couldn’t deny that they treated their employees (and hitmen they hired part-time) very well. In addition to the private jet, he and Alec had been given new phones, a budget for new clothes, accommodations and a seemingly endless supply of weapons. According to Alec, they would be put up in a safe house here in the city, with arranged access to a car. 

One of the Claves’ ground agents had been tasked with picking them up from the airport and he nodded curtly to Alec when they approached the black sedan. “Raj.” Alec said in greeting, clapping him on the shoulder once before moving to open the trunk. He made no move to introduce Magnus, so he took it upon himself to extend a hand to the agent. 

The man, Raj, quickly took notice of Magnus’ presence and looked him over skeptically. Magnus just shot him an award winning smile. “Don’t worry darling. I’m not here to kill _you_ , so you can stop looking at me like I’m about to jump you at any second.” 

Raj’s mouth dropped open. Magnus wasn’t sure if it was because he wasn’t what the agent had been expecting or that he was shocked Magnus had actually spoken to him. Either way, it was tremendously entertaining watching his face go from surprised to embarrassed. 

Behind them, the trunk of the car closed with a bang and Alec was revealed behind it shooting Magnus his signature restrained, yet deeply unimpressed look. From what Magnus had so far learned, there wasn’t many other expressions the other man donned. 

Regardless, both Magnus and Raj got the hint and soon enough they were in the car and on the way to the safe house. Alec had taken the front seat beside the other agent, leaving Magnus to the back. Raj, bless his soul, was trying to make conversation but to no one's surprise, many of his questions were shut down or just flat out ignored. Magnus almost felt bad for the guy.

After a while, Raj seemed to catch on and the car lulled into stilted silence. Magnus took the time to glance out the window and get a feel for his surroundings. Purkersdorf wasn’t a very large city, but what it lacked in size it made up for in beauty. The surrounding area was all rolling hills and a sea of green trees bordering the entire city, framing them in and making Magnus feel like he was at the centre of a very ornate china bowl. The streets themselves were small and rather quaint, rustic cobblestone with vendors lining the roads selling their goods, townspeople milling around and chatting. The buildings were old but each one had character and a story if the decade old vines crawling up the side were any indication. 

Magnus would have loved the chance to explore around here. The small city had a life to it that he was very interested to see more of. Maybe after he was done with Valentine and the disaster that was this mission, he would ditch Alec Lightwood and the Clave and do just that. He deserved a little bit of a vacation, especially after how the past 24 hours had treated him. 

They drove another twenty minutes or so before Raj pulled the car off the main road and up to a quaint little house just outside what was considered to be the ‘main city’ (though the main city didn’t look much different from outside the city, just with more trees and a few less buildings). 

The house was small and made of stone, nestled into a sea of green trees. Magnus supposed it was more of a cottage, as it looked like one of those designer bungalows featured in interior decorating magazines. Like many of the houses they had seen so far, it had a web of green vines crawling up the exterior, moulding to the stone and giving it the perfect rustic look. There were well-tended gardens out front and warm light spilled from the windows, signalling someone had been expecting them. Magnus half expected smoke to be curling from the chimney and seven dwarves to come stumbling out, singing as they walked to work.

Raj handed keys to the house and car the Clave had arranged for them to Alec and the two exchanged a quick conversation in low, hurried tones. Magnus fought the urge to roll his eyes when the agent shot him a look over Alec’s shoulder, clearly trying to chastise him for listening in.

He moved to the trunk, removing their bags. He contemplated leaving Alec’s there for him to fetch for himself but decided against it. If he wanted to build any sort of partnership with Alec, he should at least make an effort at trying to tolerate the guy. Also, Alec had grabbed their bags back at the airport, so it was really only fair. 

“Magnus!” He turned just as Alec tossed him the keys. He raised an eyebrow, confused. “You go inside and get settled. I just need to have a word with Raj.” He tried to discern the expression on the agent’s face but, surprisingly, he couldn’t. 

Raj on the other hand wore his predispositions on his face like Magnus wore his makeup. Boldly and unconcealed.

There was no doubt in Magnus’ mind that the two of them would be discussing something concerning him, probably some Clave secret about the safe house they didn’t want an outsider to know. Which was fine by Magnus, it wasn’t like he cared all that much anyway. If the Clave wanted to keep secrets, so be it. It's what they did best anyway. Besides, he got to explore the house first which meant he got to choose the biggest bedroom. 

So the joke was on them, really.

The inside of the cottage was even more picturesque and cliche than the outside. If Magnus didn’t know any better, he would assume that it was home to a tiny old woman and her two cats who spent the day baking and knitting for her grandkids; rather than a mission ops centre for a worldwide corporation of trained secret agents, no doubt with hordes of hidden lethal weapons in the upholstery. Though, he mused, being unassuming and unnoticed by the passerbyer was the _point_ of a safe house. 

A single room greeted him when he opened the door, proving that the cottage was just as small as it had appeared from the outside. One side held a small kitchenette with the basic necessities and a rickety looking wooden table with two chairs, each with what looked like handmade seat cushions. Magnus wondered with a chuckle which poor sap had spent their entire life training to be an agent of the Clave only to have their first mission be to sew seat cushions. The rest of the room was filled with a small fireplace, couch and armchair, each old and very worn in. 

Walking further into the room, Magnus found a hallway that led to a set of closed doors. Choosing one at random, he pushed it open to find a bedroom. Inside was a double bed, a beautiful quilt spread across it, a small dresser and a fireplace. It was by no means large, but it was quaint and cozy, like the rest of the place. 

Deciding he was going to check out the other room before he staked his claim anywhere, he backed out into the hallway and tentatively tried the door. He was surprised to find it locked. Magnus assumed the door would be guarded by some high-tech, state of the art Clave technology, but a bobby pin and a quick flick of his wrist proved him wrong, the door swinging open. What he found inside was not a bedroom and was definitely not cozy nor quaint. 

Also, Magnus learned pretty quickly why it had been locked. 

The inside of this room looked like a serial killer's wet dream. Hell, it looked like _Magnus’_ wet dream. The walls were lined wither every single weapon known to man; machetes, short swords, blades, axes and some that Magnus wasn’t even sure the name of. The back wall held all of the firearms; revolvers, rifles, pistols and automatics, beautiful pieces that Magnus desperately wanted to get his hands on. His hand reflexively went to his holster, thumb running along his own trusted revolver, as if letting it know that it was still his favourite. In bins all along the floor were other various items one might need on a mission; rope, tape, medical supplies, gear and even pieces of clothing that could be used for a disguise. 

Magnus’ fingers twitched instinctively. He wanted to _touch_ , to feel them all. To hold them. Though blades weren’t his weapon of choice, he wanted to load up his bag with them just to have them as his own. Surely the Clave wouldn’t notice a few gone missing, right? 

The guns though, Magnus loved guns. He had learned to shoot at just eight years of age and ever since then had loved the feeling of the smooth, cool metal in his hands, the strong kickback when the trigger was pulled. He was aware that it was unorthodox and most definitely not considered normal but then again, Magnus had never prided himself with being on society's level of ‘normal’. 

His shameless ogling was interrupted by someone clearing their throat. Magnus didn’t need to turn around to guess who it was.

“This was supposed to be a locked room.” 

Without turning around, Magnus rolled his eyes. “Well if that was the Clave’s definition of a lock, I have even less faith in them than I did before.” He turned around, hands going to his hips. “And my standards were by no means high.” 

Alec was leaning against the frame of the door, arms crossed and a steely expression on his face. Magnus wondered idly if he had ever smiled before, or if doing so would physically crack his face like porcelain. Probably.

“How was your conversation?” Magnus continued, turning his back on Alec and making his way around the room. He ran his fingers along the blades he had so badly wanted to touch moments before and he swore he could feel Alec’s steely stare on his back as he did, shaking with rage at Magnus touching Clave property. He smirked. “I’m sure that agent had nothing but lovely things to say about me.” 

Alec made a noise that could be best described as a grunt. “It was fine.” 

Magnus hummed, grabbing a dagger from the wall and twirling it between his fingers. It was short and silver, with a black handle inscribed with one of the runes the Clave seemed to love so much. The ones the Clave had created, almost like a secret language, that only those who belonged to the organization knew the meanings of. Over the years Magnus had tried to see the significance in them, but in the end they were exactly what they appeared to be; some ludicrous thing the Clave invented and bestowed upon their minions for no reason other than to be prestigious. 

They put the damn things on everything. This room alone was filled with them, hilts of guns, swords and daggers inscribed, and Magnus was sure that if he took a closer look around the cottage he would find many more. They even inscribed their _children_ with them. Alec himself had many on his hand and forearms, and a large one that spanned one side of his entire neck. Magnus was certain that the rest of his body was covered in them as well, hidden by his clothing (he wanted to see more of them, for purely studious purposes, of course). It seemed odd to him, almost like claiming property in the most authoritative and permanent way, though none of them seemed to mind much. They even wore them with _pride_. 

Alec cleared his throat again, drawing Magnus’ attention back to him. “We need to get started. We’ve already wasted enough time today. I say we start surveillance tonight, gather some intel so that tomorrow -”

Alec stopped speaking abruptly. Though Magnus supposed that he would as well if someone had just thrown a dagger that narrowly missed his skull, instead shaving off a few of the hairs on the crown of his head. He didn’t flinch and Magnus fought the urge to feel impressed. 

“You missed,” Alec deadpanned, looking annoyingly unaffected. 

Magnus sighed dramatically. “Of course I missed. I am very well aware of that, Alexander. I just needed you to stop talking and throwing a dagger at your head was a surefire way of doing that.” He plucked another one off the wall, examining it as he continued. “If I had wanted to hit you darling, you would be on the ground with one of these in your forehead and I would be long gone.” He waved the dagger in Alec’s direction with a wink. 

Alec raised an eyebrow. “So you threw a dagger at my head to get me to stop talking?” He asked, skeptical. 

“No.” Magnus retorted. “I threw a dagger _near_ your head to test your fortitude, which you did very well with I might add, you shutting up was just an added bonus.” 

Based on what he had so far learned about Alec Lightwood, he expected some sort of chilly remark or maybe even an eyeroll. So he was surprised when in response, Alec _smirked_ at him. While it wasn’t a full-on smile, it was still a semblance of one (and his face had remained perfectly intact, no cracks or fissures). 

“Alright then, we’ll play it your way. Since you have such a penchant for interrupting me whenever I decide to talk about the mission, or anything remotely serious for that matter, why don’t you tell me what your plan is?” 

Magnus grinned. Now _that_ was more like it. “First things first, I would like a shower. Recycled air is horrible for the skin and I wish to wash it from myself as soon as possible.” He got no objections, so he continued. “Second, I'm starving. We haven’t had a single thing since this we were on the jet and that had to have been at least eight hours ago.” 

“Four.” Alec corrected. “We were on the jet four hours ago, but you ate a bag of chips when we landed.” Magnus crossed his arms, waving the dagger pointedly. Alec sighed. “Fine, you can shower and we can eat. But then we need to get started.”

There was no doubt in Magnus' mind that the dagger was not playing any part in the ease in which Alec answered his demands. Alec wasn't scared of him and they both knew that. But if Magnus had to bet on it, there was something else metaphorical hanging over his head. If there was one thing Alec Lightwood was afraid of, it was probably his mother. 

That woman was terrifying. 

Magnus waved his hand in dismissal, as if Alec's comment had offended him. “No need to worry, darling. This isn’t my first rodeo, Alexander. Tomorrow morning we will get started and in 72 hours time that bald little man will be in a casket and we will be on way back to New York.” Alec looked extremely doubtful, but said nothing. 

“Now, if you excuse me I’m going to go test out the water pressure in this little cabin.” With that, he tucked the dagger in the waistline of his pants and made his way past Alec towards the washroom. 

 

***

 

If Alec’s mother knew what he was doing right now, she would be having a fit. 

And Alec was fairly confident that she didn’t know what he was doing. After his brief conversation with Raj, he had done a bug sweep of the whole cottage and found that they weren’t being watched by the Clave (or anyone else). It would defeat the purpose of a safe house after all, if there were cameras or microphones that could easily be hacked or manipulated. 

The grilled cheese sandwich in the pan looked up at him judgingly. Or, it would have it was an animate object that was capable of such emotions or facial expressions. 

Alec Lightwood was an agent of the Clave - a fairly high up one at that - yet here he was making a grilled cheese sandwich for a hitman in a cottage that looked like it belonged in a Disney film, while the other man was showering. He was sure that this was not what his mother had meant when she had whispered instructions to “keep the hitman happy” in his ear earlier that morning. 

But Alec wasn’t sure what else he was supposed to do. It was obvious that Magnus was stubborn and fighting with him on procedure was going to get them nowhere. So Alec had decided to settle on the next best thing; compromise. While Magnus had promised to go along with the mission, it was clear that he was used to working alone and on his own agenda. They just needed to eliminate the target and then Magnus would be someone else’s problem. 

Yet the end goal suddenly seemed much further away than it had this morning. 

When the sandwich had finished cooking, Alec plated it and left it on the wooden kitchen table, taking his own out to the small backyard behind the cabin. The weather had cooled down considerably since that afternoon and it was actually nice outside. 

The yard was pretty sparse with a vegetable garden that had definitely seen better days, a pond and a bench. Alec thought of the beautiful flowering gardens out front, bountiful and vibrant. But he supposed the Clave wasn’t as concerned with keeping up appearances in parts of the house that couldn’t be seen from the road. 

He sat down on the bench, pulling out his phone. He had programmed the most important contacts in it, each under their own code name. Scrolling through the limited list of names, he clicked on Black Rose, chuckling. Isabelle had come up with that one on her own a few years back one day when she and Alec were training. She had been telling him about some boy she had been seeing and how he hadn't wanted to train with her for fear of hurting her. She then proceeded to tell him, in detail, how she had taken him down with a few strategic blows, right in the middle of the hallway. She had claimed that she was beautiful like a rose but deadly and lethal like a black panther, and ever since Alec had always used it as her name in his phone. 

“Alec!” She said happily as the call connected. 

Alec rolled his eyes. “And who taught you how to answer a phone call like that, hm?” 

His sister snorted on the other end of the line. “Oh fine. What did you get me for my birthday last year?” 

“A pair of stilettos with daggers in the heels and some sort of makeup palette.” 

“Right you are, big brother. Now that I’ve verified who you are, can I say hello?” 

Alec grinned. “Hello, Isabelle.” 

“Hi Alec. How’s wherever you are in the world?” 

He looked around the bland backyard, scrunching up his nose. “Um, well where I am at this exact moment isn’t very nice but the city we’re in is alright.” He thought back to the drive in, the beautiful rolling, green hills. "Really nice actually."

She made a sound of approval. “The flight was good?” 

Alec chuckled, making a sound of approval. It had been long and he had done his best to sleep most of it, besides the brief portion he had spoken with Magnus. “Yeah, you know. The usual.”

Isabelle clicked her tongue. “You’re really not giving me much here, are you?” He almost felt bad, but he could hear the teasing lilt in her tone. 

“Sorry, little sister.” He teased back. “Grown-ups only.” 

Isabelle responded with some curse words that proved she was very much grown up and Alec laughed, covering his mouth to try and stifle the sound. He spent the next half an hour telling her more about his day, being sure to filter out anything that would alert her to where he was, what he was doing or who he was with, which was much more difficult than it sounded. 

He wanted so badly to tell her about Magnus Bane and the trouble he seemed to be causing already, but the best he could do when she asked was report that his partner was “very trying and had a set agenda of how he wanted things done.” It seemed that Izzy was under the impression he was on this mission with another Clave agent and Alec wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible. If he told her the stories of Magnus’ antics on the plane with the stewardess or his little stunt in the weapons room, she would know immediately it wasn’t someone who had been trained as they had. 

“Well,” She chided, “just be nice to him and get this job done so you can come home, okay?”

Alec nodded, even though she couldn’t see him. “I’ll do my best, Iz.” Out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement inside the house and saw that Magnus was out of the shower and moving around in the kitchen. He knew that he had to learn to somewhat trust Magnus at some point but after what had happened earlier, he wasn’t filled with much trust, especially considering the amount of weapons stashed in the house. “Listen, I have to go okay? I’ll call you when I can.” 

“Be safe, I love you.”

Alec’s heart clenched painfully. “I love you too.” He said softly before hanging up the call. He hated keeping things from Isabelle, even though she had assured him that she understood and that he needed to stop apologizing for something he had no control over. She understood how much pressure he was under from the Clave and their parents and that Alec wasn't the best at dealing with it. He knew she was right and that he needed to stop making it so hard on himself, but the action still riddled him with guilt. 

Tucking his phone back in his pocket, he entered the house. Magnus looked up from the kitchen table where he was finishing his sandwich, doing something on his phone. His hair was still damp from his shower but he had reapplied his makeup, eyeliner and glitter surrounding his light eyes. He had changed from the black outfit he was wearing before into some sort of silk robe (to Alec, it looked more like a kimono) and a pair of black pants. A sliver of his chest was visible where the two sides of the robe separated. Alec drew his eyes away quickly. 

“Is grilled cheese making one of the courses you soldiers are required to take at that academy of yours? Because this is quite possibly the best sandwich I have ever had.” Magnus was examining the sandwich like it held the answers to all the world’s greatest mysteries, if he only looked close enough. 

Alec raised his eyebrows but shook his head. “No. I just learned to cook when I was young. Also,” he added, “it’s a pretty hard thing to mess up.” 

Magnus looked at him, an odd expression crossing his features but shook his head, face once again neutral. He held up the open case file that Alec hadn’t noticed sitting open on the table in front of him, waving it in question. He must have been reviewing it. “Shall we?”

They spent the next hour reviewing the case and setting down tentative plans for how they wanted to approach it. Alec immediately fell into his comfort zone, drawing outlines and talking strategy. And though he hated to admit it, Magnus had some really well thought out ideas and brought aspects of the case forward that Alec himself hadn’t even noticed. Even more so, Alec actually found that he was enjoying himself. Magnus had clearly spent more time reading through this case than Alec had originally given him credit for and it showed when he talked about it. His mind flashed back to the research he had done and the list of clean kills Magnus had executed, all singlehandedly. He was experienced and knew exactly what he was doing and Alec realized, with more than a flush of guilt, that he needed to start treating him as such. 

Magnus was infuriatingly cocky, rude and had impressively managed to get on every single one of Alec’s nerves in just 24 hours, but he was a professional. As much as Alec couldn’t stand his personality, he needed to stop acting like a product of his upbringing and bite his tongue, at least recognizing that the other man was skilled at his job. 

Time slipped away from them and it seemed like just minutes later Magnus stood up to get another cup of coffee, noting with surprise that it was already early morning. Alec blinked, the pictures and words on the file in front of him slipping in and out of focus, forcing him to reluctantly agree with Magnus that it was time to call it a night. They needed to get at least a few hours sleep before the next day. Or later that day. Whatever. It wouldn’t do either of them any good to be falling asleep when they were tracking Valentine’s movements. 

They packed up the files quickly, clearing the table of coffee cups and stray pieces of paper. Alec secured the front door, while Magnus checked the back, making sure they were both locked tight.

It wasn’t until Alec had put out the fire in the living room, that he realized it. 

He cursed himself for not thinking of it earlier, but he blamed his sleep deprived, unfocused mind. He had never done well on little sleep and paired with the high stress this mission brought on, his mind was not as focused as it should be. Or else he would have thought of it sooner. 

Magnus though, seemed to have realized their dilemma before him, standing in the doorway of the single bedroom, hands on his hips. 

He looked up, hearing Alec’s footsteps behind him. “So … fancy a sleepover?” He had what appeared to be mirth shining in his eyes, clearly enjoying himself. 

Alec scowled. “Shut up.” 

Magnus held his hands up in defense. “Hey, white flag. I don’t know what you’re solution is to this problem, I’m just offering suggestions.” He grinned. “Though I can’t say I’m disappointed that the universe wants us to share a bed. Remind me to send her a muffin basket.” 

Alec surveyed the room, ignoring him. It was fairly bare, nothing in it other than the double bed, fireplace and small dresser. Alec sometimes hated protocol and whoever had come up with the binding rule that he wasn’t ever to leave a client unattended. Especially overnight. 

Which meant that Alec had to abandon his original plan of sleeping on the couch out in the living room and set up camp here, on the floor of the bedroom. He knew they were relatively safe here, but they were still in the same country as Valentine and Alec didn’t want to risk leaving Magnus alone when they were so close. 

“You take the bed.” Alec mumbled, sighing, already moving towards it and pulling off some of the pillows and making himself a makeshift bed on the floor. 

He could hear that Magnus hadn’t moved a muscle and fought the urge to roll his eyes. He continued to make his makeshift bed on the ground, hoping that Magnus would just drop it and take the bed without another word. 

But of course, since he was Magnus, he didn't. When it had reached the point of being annoying, Alec turned around. He was, as Alec had predicted, in the same spot in the doorway, watching him scrutinizingly. “What?” Alec snapped angrily. 

“Why?”

“Why what, Magnus?” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. He was not in the mood to deal with this, wanting nothing more than to just fall to the pillows and crash. 

“Why are you giving me the bed?”

Alec squinted at him. “Why did I give you the bed?” He repeated, slowly. Magnus just nodded. “I don’t know Magnus, maybe because despite what you may think I was raised with some manners and I’m not going to just take the bed from you?” Alec knew that he was being irritable and more than a little rude, but he hardly had the energy to care. His answer seemed to please Magnus though and nodded silently, going to the bed without another word and pulling back the covers. 

They were both silent as they settled in, Alec on the floor and Magnus on the bed. The only light in the room was the small crackling fire, flames creating dancing shadows all along the wall. Alec could hear Magnus up on the bed above him, shifting every so often, trying to find a comfortable position. 

Regardless of how tired he was, Alec couldn’t seem to shut his mind off and actually go to sleep. His thoughts raced with the day's events and what lay ahead of him. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little frightened. He would be an idiot not to be. Alec was sure that the failure to complete this mission, if it didn’t result in certain death, would certainly make him wish that it had. 

Not to mention the promotion this mission would bring him, if it was completed. Both his mother and the Commander had been clear that he would begin training for Institute Head if all went well. Running the Institute wasn’t something Alec had ever thought that he would want, but he found himself excited by the prospect and all that it held. 

Alec had to make sure that this mission was a success. Alec had to make sure that Magnus completed this mission. 

“Alexander?”

He had assumed Magnus to be long asleep by now, but he must have been in the same position as Alec, lying awake with his thoughts as company. “Hmm?”

A pause. An intake in breath. “You’re not like your parents.” 

The words hung in the air between them and Alec knew immediately that Magnus meant them, yet he had no way to respond. No way to tell Magnus that he was wrong, that he was exactly like them. Scarily so. That everyday he felt himself following in their footsteps, like the pull of a magnet drawing him in. He had worked his entire life to live up to their expectations but had promised himself he would never sink to their level, that he would always remain true to himself. Yet he had made that deal with Magnus on the plane like it was nothing, destining the other man to a life led by the Clave. 

And so he didn’t respond, just rolled over onto his side and pulled the covers tighter around him, shutting his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think? I know that chapter was fairly boring, but next chapter we get into more of the rock 'em - sock 'em stuff, so stay tuned ;) 
> 
> Thank you to my amazing (and super accommodating) beta [Kaitlyn](http://archiveofourown.org/users/little_loving_lefty) xx
> 
> If you want to chat, you can find me on [Twitter](http://twitter.com/insiemes) xx
> 
>  
> 
> See you soon Angels! xx


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec and Magnus do surveillance, get a new lead and decide to follow it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After a brief hiatus, we're back! 
> 
> Many thanks to [Yara](http://archiveofourown.org/users/deathdario) for all of her motivation and editing, who is the sole reason this fic is continuing. 
> 
>  
> 
> If you're tweeting use the hashtag #EOSfic or #insiemes so that I can see them :) 
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy!

“What do you see?”

Alec glanced up from behind his newspaper, catching sight of Magnus across the courtyard. He was sat casually on the lip of an ornate fountain, holding his phone out in front of him as if he was taking a picture of himself (or what Magnus had referred to last night as a ‘selfie’). While to everyone else if appeared he was taking ‘selfies’, Alec knew better; Magnus was meticulously scanning the square around them with his phone for weapons and explosives. They had found the high-tech phones in the weapons room that morning, and felt it was a good opportunity to test them out. 

“My eyeliner is smudged.” 

Alec blinked, forcing himself not to show any reaction on his face. Which was difficult. Very difficult. He was playing the part of a lone traveler enjoying the morning, reading the local paper and drinking coffee at a local cafe. He figured looking murderously over at a man he wasn’t supposed to know sitting on the fountain a few hundred feet away would probably give him away. 

Probably. 

“Focus, please. This is serious.” He whispered threateningly, turning the page of the paper to mask the sound of his voice.   
He could hear Magnus sigh. “You’re such a buzzkill, Alexander.” Alec held his retort and scanned the pages of the paper for a few more minutes, listening for Magnus on the other end. 

Resisting the urge to look up for as long as he could, Alec finally glanced up when his earpiece had reached a deafening silence that didn’t sit well with him. He feigned a stretch, arms going over his head as he glanced in Magnus’ general direction. 

But his stomach dropped when he saw that he was gone. 

Shit. 

He folded the paper as casually as he could, putting it down and taking a sip from his coffee cup while surveying the square. Magnus had vacated his perch on the fountain, spot now taken by an elderly couple posing for a picture. Alec continued his sweep across the courtyard, eyes scanning each person for signs of gold-tipped raven hair (which was apparently part of Magnus’ idea of dressing inconspicuously). He couldn’t have gone far, it wasn’t as if the area they were in was that big anyway, maybe a few hundred feet square, but there was no sign of him. 

Alec’s mind immediately flashed to worst case scenarios. Surely Magnus wouldn’t have just up and left, in wake of the deal he had made with Alec? He also had things riding on this mission too and Alec found it difficult to believe that he would just leave, without a word. 

Which made him jump to the second option. What if he had been taken? Valentine and his men were adept at kidnapping by this point after all, and were known for their ability to snatch someone and jump in the getaway car in just under a minute. But as skilled as they were, Alec had just as much confidence in Magnus. He wouldn’t have just let himself get captured by Valentine so easily, and he certainly wouldn’t have gone without a fight, drawing attention to himself in the process. 

But a small part of Alec still wondered if maybe Magnus had fled. He had mentioned leaving at the soonest possible moment many times since they’d started this whole thing and had made it clear he wanted to be here less than Alec himself did. Maybe he’d finally gotten fed up with Alec and the mission and went through with his escape plan? Alec had given Magnus the benefit of the doubt and he was already defending the man when in reality, this is what Magnus _did_ for a living. 

He had lived his entire life in the shadows and was a master of getting himself out of situations undetected. His life was spent evading capture and protecting his own skin, no matter the cost. Alec had foolishly let himself trust the man, even a fraction, and it had cost them. He had let his guard down for a moment, and had ended up stabbed in the back. 

“Alexander?”

Alec almost jumped out of his skin when his earpiece came back to life, Magnus’ tiny voice in his ear. There was a woman sitting at the table beside him and she looked over warily, but Alec just sent her a reassuring smile, turning back to his paper. She smiled back, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I can see you flirting with that woman from all the way over here. Focus, please. This is serious.” Alec lowered his sunglasses from the top of his head, for the sole purpose of covering his eyroll. Magnus’ deliberate use of Alec’s exact words did not go unnoticed. 

He pulled out his phone, bringing it to his ear. The woman was still watching him closely (though she pretended not to, looking down at her phone) and Alec figured he would draw a little less attention if he appeared to not be talking to himself like an insane person. “That’s great, except for the fact that I wasn’t flirting with her.” He answered smoothly, speaking into the phone. “Not my type.”

“Not a fan of brunettes? Or is it that she seemed too forward? I can see you with more of a reserved, quiet type of woman, personally.” Magnus mused, clearly digging for another answer entirely. “Or maybe a CEO type. Hmm, a woman in higher power, someone to boss you around?. Which one is it, Alec?”

“Neither.” Alec mused, taking a sip of coffee. He could see Magnus now on the other side of the square, sketchbook in hand and his phone pressed to his ear between his shoulder, clearly having the same idea as Alec. He was grinning. “She just happens to be too female.” The words left his mouth before he had a chance to filter them. He hadn’t been planning on going for Magnus’ bait, and that was something he definitely didn’t need to know about Alec. 

Though it wasn’t exactly a secret; Alec had come out years ago. His sexuality was one of the many topics the Clave had decided to just sweep under the rug and forget about, hoping that if they weren't discussed, they would soon be forgotten. They weren’t exactly insulting about it though. They had never told him it was wrong or that it was something he should be ashamed of, but they had also never told him it was something to be proud of. His parents especially, as soon as they found out, they had nodded and then moved on with mission talk, as if Alec hadn’t said anything at all.

It was just something that _was_. Something everyone knew, but no one really wanted to talk about. 

Which was fine by Alec. He hadn't dated much since he came out, a few flings here and there but usually they were nothing more than filling a physical need. As far as he was concerned, emotions were a distraction and he needed to be on the top of his game, especially now. He wasn’t much of a personable man either, and preferred to keep his private life private. 

Except, apparently, when it came to basic strangers he had met just a few days before. 

“Too female, hm?” Magnus inquired, cheekily. “Alexander, I usually pride myself with a flawless gaydar, but I seem to have been jested.” Alec rolled his eyes again. “Well then how about the gentleman to your 4 o’clock who has been almost hungrily eyeing you since we arrived this morning?” Alec told himself the only reason he looked was because of the mission. If someone had been looking at him for almost an hour, he wanted to make sure they weren’t one of the enemy. 

Yeah, that was it.

Sure enough, there was a man a few tables down who was doing a very poor job of pretending he wasn’t looking at Alec. He was attractive, in a rugged sort of way, though not Alec’s type. He had dark hair and smooth, pale skin, sharp defined cheekbones. Alec was glad he was hidden behind his sunglasses. 

He decided not to dignify Magnus’ question with a response. “Is this really what we should be focusing on right now?” 

“I don’t know, Alexander. I _am_ gathering quite a bit of intel over here.”

Alec sighed. “On me or on what you should be doing?” Magnus didn’t answer and Alec sought him out. He caught Alec’s eye (though subtly enough that no one would connect the two of them together) and winked, before looking back down to what he was pretending to be sketching.

“To answer your earlier question, our friends are not joining us for dinner tonight,” Magnus stated casually, the code they had come up with the night before for no sign of Valentine or his accomplices. 

Alec nodded, aware that Magnus couldn’t see him. “Maybe we’ll hear from them soon. It’s not like them to cancel on us. Keep an ear out.” He ended the call after that, faking a goodbye as if he had actually been talking to someone on the other line about dinner plans. He was all too aware of the man (and woman) still watching him from a few tables over. 

Placing a few bills on the table he got up, slinging a camera bag over his shoulder. He pulled the actual strap of the camera around his neck, bringing it up to his eye. The city was even more beautiful than Alec remembered from the brief glances he had gotten through the car windows yesterday, but that wasn’t what he was looking at. 

He trained the camera at the front door of a small hotel on the corner, snapping pictures of the entrance. According to the case file, Valentine had been staying there less than a week ago. Alec and Magnus had decided together that it was a good place to start. It was one of the most popular hotels in the city (mainly because it was one of the _only_ hotels in the area) and so many people were coming and going from the entrance freely. Alec snapped pictures of as many of them as he could without seeming too obvious. 

Training the camera around the square, Alec tried to capture faces near the hotel too. A group of men standing together reading a single newspaper, an elderly woman with a large bag hanging over her shoulder, two teenagers with their heads bent together, whispering. Besides his usual thugs, Alec had no idea who Valentine had working with him. He highly doubted it would be someone like the elderly women, but with Valentine you could never be too sure. 

Alec walked around the square, holding the camera by his side and snapping pictures intermittently, every so often bringing it up to his eye. He was sure that half of them would be out of focus or off target, but some of them would capture the inhabitants of the square without their knowledge, which was the point. 

The sun was warm and the day had considerably heated up in the last few hours. Alec had worn a plain black t shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans, but he was regretting not wearing shorts. Besides the fact he was boiling, he stood out among almost everyone else in the vicinity who was dressed for the summer. He moved to lean against a shaded wall, bringing his camera up again. He moved it steadily around the square, stopping when he spotted Magnus. 

The other man was chatting with what looked to be a local, the old woman gesturing wildly. Alec was about to chastise him for speaking with someone and risk blowing the mission, but he found himself unable to speak the words. Magnus’ head was thrown back in laughter and the zoom on Alec’s camera made the lines of his neck very easy to see, and in high definition no less.

There was no denying that Magnus was attractive. He was tall and tanned and his features were undeniably beautiful. He was also ripped, something that hadn’t passed Alec’s notice. But just because Alec thought he was hot did not change the way he thought about him. Magnus was still a hitman, he was still rude and incredibly annoying and stubborn beyond belief. He just happened to have really nice abs while doing so. 

Said abs were currently on full display through his shirt, which was unbuttoned to almost the last button (and Alec didn’t understand why he didn’t just leave it open completely at that point). He had a pair of jean shorts on, leaving Alec with a nice view of his toned calves. His hair was gold tipped and his eyeliner matched, glitter lining his eyes and spread across his cheeks, catching the light of the sun when he moved. 

Alec’s finger may have slipped, capturing a few close up pictures, but the Clave would probably want some for their database, right? Maybe not side profiles focusing on Magnus’ Adam’s Apple, but Alec never claimed to be a professional photographer. 

Magnus glanced over, catching Alec’s eye - and the camera still trained on his face - for the briefest moment. Alec felt his face heat up but it wasn’t due to the heat of the day. 

With a final wave, Magnus departed from the local he was speaking with, waiting until he was out of range to speak with Alec. “Get any good photos?” Alec could practically hear his grin. 

“A few.” He settled on. Magnus chuckled but dropped the subject. He told Alec that the woman he was speaking with had described a man of Valentine’s look and stature leaving the hotel just yesterday, but she hadn’t seen him since. Apparently he had gone to the very cafe Alec was at earlier, before getting into a black car and heading out of the square. 

“How did you get all of that?” Alec asked. 

“I asked her, Alexander. I don’t know if you’re familiar with the concept but that’s usually how you get information from someone.” 

Alec sighed, annoyed. “Clearly I’m familiar. What I meant was, how did you communicate with her?”

He saw Magnus tilt his head, looking confused before his features morphed into a smile. “I’m quite adverse in linguistics, Alexander. I know almost twelve languages fluently and I can get by in about five more.” He sounded incredibly pleased with himself. “Ich würde mich freuen dir eines Tages mehr von meinem großen Wortschatz zu zeigen, Alexander.”

_I'd be happy to show you more of my vast vocabulary one day, Alexander._

Alec Lightwood was a trained agent and had been around many people over the course of his lifetime, many of whom spoke a language other than English. But never had Alec found himself _aroused_ by any of them when they spoke. 

Well, he couldn’t really say never anymore, now could he? 

“Vielleicht ein anderes Mal” _Maybe another time_ , he responded fluently. He needed to get his head in the game. He was letting himself fall prey to Magnus’ allure and charm, something he had never had an issue with before. Sure, he’s had crushes before but who hasn’t? Except in this situation, a crush could lead him to being captured by Valentine and his men while his “crush” slipped off, home free. 

He continued on, willing his cheeks back to their normal colour. “Our friend was definitely staying in this hotel so I want to go and check it out. I’m going in first, and you follow. Got it?” 

“Aye, aye captain.” Alec turned off his com, securing his camera around his neck and laying his hand gently on the bag at his side. Inside was as many weapons as he could fit, guns, knives, ammunition and even some rope. Magnus had a similar bag, one disguised as a satchel, as well as a few knives tucked into his clothing. 

Alec thought it would be much more difficult to gain access to the hotel but the receptionist provided him with the room number under a simple rouse of Alec looking for someone he had met earlier on the trip, but had forgotten their name. Valentine, of course, hadn’t used his real name but the hotel was so small that as soon as Alec gave a description the receptionist knew him right away. 

He had used one of his known aliases, something Alec found strange. After Valentine’s arrest, the Clave had connected him to a horde of crimes, all of them under a different pseud. The fact that he was reusing those names without a care in the world, knowing perfectly well that the Clave could track them, didn’t sit well with Alec. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Magnus walk past him. “So that was room 917, right?” Alec asked, feigning confusion but making sure his voice was loud enough that it would carry across the lobby. The receptionist nodded and it wasn’t moments later that Alec was stepping into the elevator beside Magnus, doors closing them in. 

The ride was quiet, neither of them speaking. Alec took the opportunity to remove his earpiece, shoving it in the pocket of his jeans. He wasn’t entirely sure what they were going to find once the doors opened but he wanted to be prepared for anything. 

Glancing over at Magnus, he saw the other man adjusting the revolver that stuck out from the back of his jeans. It wasn’t Alec’s weapon of choice - what with being incredibly impractical - but Magnus never seemed to go anywhere without it. The muzzle was silver, engraved with swirling lines and designs. The grip was wood, mahogany by the looks of it. Alec had to admit, it was a very nice looking gun. It had probably cost Magnus a fortune. 

A fortune he was pretty sure Magnus owned, based on the way he dressed. He wasn’t sure what the going rate for a hitman was these days but Magnus seemed to be far from struggling to get by. 

Alec looked up to the dial indicating they had passed the eighth floor and were arriving at the ninth. He let out a short breath, fingers tightening on the strap of the camera bag. 

The doors slid open and the two of them walked out, casual but poised and at attention for any sign of danger. Alec did a quick scan of the hallway to see that there were only a few doors, maybe six in total on the entire floor. Each one looked exactly the same, wooden with a brass handle and the shiny gold numbers attached to the front. 

At the end of the hall, room 917 was visible, door not completely shut. Alec turned to signal to Magnus but the other man was already moving forward, advancing on the door. Thankfully, he halted before actually entering, something Alec was grateful for. Especially considering what they found on the other side. 

Two of Valentine’s men - or Circle members as they liked to call themselves - were waiting for them as soon as the door opened. Without a word or even a look in the other’s direction, they sprang into action, lunging forward and each taking one of the men. 

If Alec absorbed anything from his training, it was never make the first move. The first move was either made on fear, passion or anger and almost always never worked in your favour unless you were going for the element of surprise. Countless times he had been training with Jace, only for his younger brother to attack on a whim and it always ended with Jace on the mat and Alec above him, victorious.

Muscle memory took over and Alec ducked the first punch from the man easily, popping back up a second later to land a solid blow to his abdomen. He stumbled backwards, weight going to his heels and Alec took advantage of his lapse and delivered a roundhouse kick, heel landing squarely with his jaw. The man flew backwards, rolling until he was back up on his feet, this time more unsure of himself.   
Alec smirked. 

The circle member made the mistake of coming for him again and Alec almost laughed, sidestepping him and grabbing the arm he had directed at Alec, he used the motion to flip the man so that he was laying on the ground below him.

He pressed his heel to the man’s throat, not enough to do permanent harm but enough to knock him unconscious. If there had only been one man he probably would have tied him up, but as it were there were two and Alec definitely didn’t have enough rope. 

From start to finish, the whole event took less than a minute.

A grunt from beside him signalled that Magnus too had dismantled his opponent, the man lying on the ground, bruise already forming on his cheek. 

Magnus looked hardly winded, only indication he had just been in a fight was a strand of hair dangling down on his forehead, which he brushed back with ease. “Not bad,” Alec commented, nodding. “I mean, for a hitman. You were only a few seconds behind me.” 

He couldn’t resist poking a little fun, especially considering the amount of times Magnus had made jokes at Alec’s expense in the short time they had known each other. Magnus’ response was to raise an eyebrow, using his shoe to turn the Circle member’s face, examining the bruise he left. 

“I could have had this man on the floor in ten seconds, but I didn’t want to hurt your ego so early on in the mission.” He sent Alec a wink over his shoulder. “It’s bad for morale.” 

“Oh please,” Alec retorted, rolling his eyes “don’t hold back on my account.” 

Magnus grinned. “I’ll remember that next time, pretty boy.” 

In all the commotion, neither of them had taken the time to look at the room they were in. It was your standard hotel room, minus the fact that it was completely bare. 

Alec had stayed in many hotels in his time, and he was pretty sure that taking all of the furniture was somewhat illegal. 

Maybe he just wasn’t staying in the right hotels.

Magnus let out a low whistle. “Well either Valentine is redecorating his apartment and is low on cash, or he’s a bit of a klepto.” There was not a single thing in the room. No bed, no couch, no dishes in the kitchen. Even the picture frames had disappeared and the coverings from the windows. 

The uncomfortable feeling Alec had felt downstairs returned. There was no logical reason he could see behind Valentine’s motives. There was no reason for him to strip a hotel room completely bare, leaving nothing more than a spec of dust. What was he doing?

“Alec, over here.”

Magnus was crouched in the bedroom, a single piece of paper clasped in his hands. He was staring at it intensely, eyes scanning the words before he wordlessly handed it over to Alec and exited the room. 

The paper appeared to be a clipping of a foreign newspaper. It was an older one too, based on the texture and yellowing of the paper. Alec scanned down to the actual writing on the paper, stomach going cold. 

**“Global criminal Valentine Morgenstern finally apprehended by The Clave.”**

The clipping was from right after Valentine's arrest almost a decade ago, detailing the arrest and his crimes. The article talked about the Clave’s valiant work and included statements from the previous Commander, Malachi Dieudonne. 

Alec remembered reading articles similar to this one when he was younger. He’d attended Valentine’s trial as almost every protector did, and was present when his life sentence was set. He was fifteen at the time of Valentine’s arrest and was old enough at that point to know some of the more gory aspects of his crimes. His parents had never been the type to shield their children from the world and some of the horrors it had to offer. In fact, when Alec was just a boy, Robert had told them a story of a mission gone wrong that had Isabelle sleeping in Alec’s bed for weeks with nightmares. 

The clipping itself wasn’t what made Alec uneasy though. Someone had taken the time to circle “The Clave” in bold, red marker making the words impossible to ignore. The symbolism of the red circle wasn’t lost on him either. Valentine had come up with the name shortly after leaving the Clave and branded each of his followers with a harsh circle rune on their necks, a mockery of the Clave’s own runes. What made Alec uneasy was the deliberate placement of this article, and the deliberate circling of his organization’s name. 

One thing the article made abundantly clear was that Valentine knew they were tracking him. Which also explained the use of his old pseuds down at the reception desk. He knew they were following him now and he wanted them to know it. 

Alec snapped a picture of the article before tucking it into his pocket. “Magnus!” They needed to regroup and make a new plan, now that they had lost the element of surprise. Valentine would be watching them, waiting for them wherever they went and it would make it abundantly harder to take him out. Alec sure hoped Magnus had a new plan of attack, because he didn’t. “Magnus!” 

Stepping into the main room, Alec realized with a start that he was alone. Magnus hadn’t mentioned where he was going and Alec had been too distracted to ask him, but now he regretted not paying more attention. This all could have been an elaborate rouse; distract the two of them long enough to take them out, eliminating the threat. 

Alec was supposed to be the one protecting Magnus from the most dangerous criminal in the world, who now knew that he was being followed, and this was the second time today he had lost sight of him. Some protector he was. 

He stood completely still, listening for any sign of movement or struggle but the apartment was as quiet as it was empty. Alec could hear the sounds of the streets below, a band playing upbeat music and the chatter of a square full of people. Pulling the pistol from the waistline of his pants, Alec crept around the hotel room. Valentine had spared no expense and had gotten one of the biggest rooms the place offered. There were two bedrooms, a kitchen and living room and a what looked to be a large bathroom. There was a balcony leading out into the square but the doors were clear glass. 

Leaving the common area, Alec moved silently into the master bedroom. Like every other room, there was no furniture, or any sign that anyone had even been there. If he didn’t know better he would assume the room was brand new, awaiting decoration. Quickly clearing the room, Alec moved out into the hallway, towards the bathroom. The door was closed, but a light was visible underneath.

Almost upon the threshold, Alec heard voices, soft murmuring through the wooden door. More specifically, he heard Magnus’ voice. He felt tension he hadn’t realized he’d been holding leave his body, re-holstering his weapon. At the rate this mission was going, Alec was going to have grey hair and a possible ulcer from the stress of keeping tabs on Magnus alone. He seemed to have zero regard for Alec or his role in this mission, especially considering his habit of leaving unannounced. 

Alec turned the knob and pushed the door open, not bothering to knock. 

He blinked once and then a few more times to try and comprehend if what he was seeing was real of just a figment of his imagination. Surely it had to be. Because Magnus was sitting on the lip of the giant pearl bathtub, phone cradled loosely between his fingers, carefree laughter spilling from his lips as he talked to someone on the other end. His booted feet were resting upon a fallen circle member, unconscious (or so Alec assumed), using the man as a footrest. He looked up lazily as Alec entered, grinning mischievously and holding up a finger, signalling Alec to wait until his call was done. 

The whole scene was nothing short of ridiculous. Alec glanced down to the circle member; he recognized him as one of Valentines loyal followers, the ones who had been with him since the beginning. Pangborn was his name if Alec remembered correctly back to his studies. He had been one of the first wave to follow Valentine, going under the radar as soon as Valentine was arrested. Clearly he was back and had picked up with his old boss where they left off. 

“Alright, my little cabbage. Thank you muchly. I’ll call you when I can.” He hung up the phone quickly, sliding it back in his pocket before elegantly stepping over the fallen man, barely glancing down at him. “Ready to go?”

Alec blanched. “Rea— Magnus are you kidding me right now?” Magnus, apparently not kidding him, looked back stoically. “We find an article detailing Valentines arrest clearly directed at us and you walk off without so much as telling me to make a cryptic phone call to someone you call a vegetable, and all you have to say about that is ‘ready to go’?” He looked down at the circle member. “I didn’t even know this guy was in here. You could have gotten hurt!” 

Magnus rolled his eyes. “Do I look hurt to you?”

“No, but-” 

“No buts. Unless we’re talking about yours, of course.” He winked, clearly not deterred by Alec’s angered expression. “I’m fine and can clearly handle myself. I needed to make a phone call to a friend who might have some intel on Valentine.” He shrugged. “And he did, so I think you should be thanking me instead of yelling at me.” 

Rage bubbled inside Alec and he let out a long breath through his nose. If something had happened to Magnus, if he had been caught by surprise or this man had captured him before he had a chance to defend himself, Alec didn’t even want to think of the consequences. Not only would he lose the respect of the Commander and his parents, he would lose Magnus, something he would do everything he could to prevent from happening. 

He closed his eyes, willing down the anger he felt. At the moment, Magnus was right. He was stupid and irresponsible, but he was right. Magnus was fine and nothing had happened to him. They needed to focus on what was important; the mission. 

“What did you find out?”

Magnus nodded, business face on. “Valentine and two companions bought plane tickets to Slovakia yesterday.”

Alec took a moment to process this information, thinking through their options. He would have to update his parents and the Commander at some point, sending a mission report and review of their next steps. He would need to include the article as well, something he wasn’t looking forward to. His mother would be none to pleased to hear that Valentine was aware they were tailing him.

“Okay. That’s good, we can work with that.” He ran a hand through his hair, pushing it away from his face. “I’ll just need the name of your informant so I can include it in the -”

Magnus was shaking his head before Alec even finished the sentence. “No.” 

“What do you mean ‘no’?”

“It’s a word in the English language which is the negative response to what is being requested or suggested. In this scenario, I mean it in the sense that I will not give you that information. I thought you may have learned to be more than a mindless neanderthal at your so called prestigious institution, but clearly the Clave values braun over intelligence, hm?” 

Alec fixed him with a cold stare. “I know what no means, so cut the jokes.” He stood up tall, his full height a few inches higher than Magnus. “You _will_ give me the name of the ‘friend’ who gave you that information. Don’t forget who hired you, in this scenario.” He growled. Magnus continued to use every opportunity he could to undermine Alec, and it stopped today. “You are still under employment of the Clave and are here to serve them, and only them. Since I am the only representative of the Clave present, that means you serve under me.” 

“As much as I would love to get under you, we have work to do.” The joke was lacking it’s usual lustre, replaced with icy temperament, as if Magnus had only said it on reflex. 

His gaze was fixed on Alec, and Alec swore he almost saw something like pity in his eyes. But that couldn’t be right because in less than a second, it was gone and quickly covered with a cool fire, Magnus rising up to match Alec’s height. “And believe me, I haven’t forgotten, as you don’t go an hour without reminding me. But even under your orders, I’m entitled to my rights and freedom, a concept I know must be foreign to you, Alec Lightwood. I suggest you step out from under your parents’ wings every once in awhile and experience it, because the world is much nicer out here when you’re free.” 

With that, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the bathroom, leaving Alec standing there alone with the unconscious circle member. 

 

***

 

Their last minute plans meant they had no time to call the Clave to arrange for transportation to Slovakia. 

After leaving the hotel, they immediately went back to the safe house, removing all evidence they had ever been there. This was something Magnus was familiar with, comfortable with even and he fell into it with ease working with Alec to wipe down surfaces and wash linens. He purchased them two plane tickets while Alec typed up a report on a secure computer. It took some convincing but Alec eventually agreed to write that they had gotten the information from Pangborn, rather than Magnus’ phone call. 

He was beginning to trust Alec, but he still sure as hell didn’t trust the Clave. Alec was loyal to them and Magnus had no doubt that he would choose his dedication to them over his partnership with Magnus anyday. He didn’t think it was a personal thing, because as much as Alec grumbled about not liking Magnus, he seemed to be an okay person with good morals. But if faced with the choice between Magnus and the Clave? There was no doubt in Magnus’ mind that Alec wouldn’t be choosing to protect him. 

Which is why he didn’t tell Alec who he had been on the phone with. 

Just over an hour after they left Valentine’s hotel room, they were in the airport and waiting to board their plane. Alec was drawn tight beside him, body rigid and knee bouncing rhythmically. He was rubbing his fingers together, staring straight ahead. 

He had been like that since leaving the hotel room. He was clearly still upset at Magnus for running off, which was ridiculous. He was only upset because losing Magnus meant losing his precious promotion and his title as most prized douche bag in the eyes of the Commander. Alec seemed to be perpetually between a mood of pissed off and annoyed but his eyes had held a rage that Magnus had never seen before when he found Magnus in the bathroom. 

Clearly his reputation meant more to him than Magnus originally thought. 

They were silent as they boarded the plane and the entire journey, barely speaking unless it was necessary. Valentine had yet again chosen a smaller town which meant they couldn't fly directly there, no matter how much they paid (and Magnus had tried, the Clave’s black credit card in his hands). The most direct route he could find on such short notice involved an hour and a half plane ride followed by a two hour train ride. 

Which wouldn’t be so bad if Alec wasn’t doing his best to ignore Magnus’ entire existence. 

Magnus was a social creature and didn’t do well without talking to people. He became bored quickly and took to making friends on the train, talking to an elderly man sitting beside them for a while. Alec continued to look at him unimpressed, but Magnus hardly paid him any mind. If he wanted to be anti-social and brood quietly by his lonesome, that was fine with Magnus. 

It was late when they finally arrived in Poprad. Magnus hardly had time to look around as Alec hurried them from the train station and into a cab, rattling out an address to the driver. 

“Where are we going?” Alec ignored him once they had started driving, looking out the window. Fine. Two could play at that game. 

Buildings rushed past them as they drove, a mix of lights and bright colours. Magnus felt the tug of exploration pulling him, urging him to go out and look around. He hadn’t had time to explore Purkersdorf, but he wouldn't miss out on the chance to explore this beautiful city. While this was work, Magnus was also being paid exorbitant amounts of money to travel the world, and that he wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to explore when he could. 

The cab pulled up in front of a two story building. It was old and rustic looking, but had an inviting feel to it that made Magnus want to go inside. The exterior was red brick with only a few windows, but each one spilled out soft golden light, despite the late hour. Before he had a chance to ask, Alec had already left the cab and was making his way to the door. 

Catching up with him, Magnus let out a startled laugh when he stepped through the doors and realized where they were. He had been to many of these in his travels and was no stranger to them. He turned to Alec, completely forgetting he was supposed to be ignoring him. “A youth hostel?”

Alec shrugged, though it looked like the icy exterior he had been wearing all day had melted slightly. He had a slight flush high on his cheeks, eyes flickering down to Magnus before the area around them. “It’s a good spot. A solid cover.” 

He was right, of course. The hostel was nestled into a busy street, though not near the center of town. The inside wasn’t much - a few mismatched chairs scattered around a fairly small room, a pool table and a reception desk. Besides the woman sitting at the desk they were the only ones out front, but voices could be heard no doubt from the rooms behind. 

Magnus chuckled, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “Don’t you actually need to be a youth to stay in these things? I don’t know about you Alexander, but I’ve been out of my youth for quite a few years now.” 

“You don’t look it.” Alec responded quickly. His eyes went wide, as if he shocked himself with his own words. If Magnus had to guess, he would probably assume that Alec wasn’t allowed to act on his sexuality much at the Institute and so compliments to the same gender were most likely either discouraged or forbidden. Flirting was most definitely forbidden. 

Not that he was flirting with Magnus. Of course not. 

“Which will be good. Um - they’ll have no problem letting us in.” Alec finished lamely, hand going to the back of his neck. 

“Do you have a cover story?” Magnus asked, switching tactics. He could see a blush forming on the other man’s cheeks and decided not to push him any further. 

Alec raised his eyebrows. The woman at the desk had noticed their presence now, and glanced up at them so Magnus lowered his voice so that they weren’t overheard. “We may look like youth, but they’re not going to let us in if we don’t tell them what we’re doing.” He grinned, winking. “We could be killers, or something.”

Magnus was rewarded with another rare half smile from Alec, mouth tipping up only slightly at the corner. He shook his head, gesturing Magnus ahead. “Be my guest.” 

“Follow my lead, Alexander.”

Without another word, Magnus grabbed Alec’s hand in his - quickly silencing his protest - and dragged him up to the counter where the young woman was waiting. She was sitting on a stool behind the desk, nose stuck in a book but looked up when they approached. “Can I help you?”

She had a thick accent, but her English was otherwise impressive. Magnus grinned. “Yes, actually. My boyfriend and I were wondering if you had two extra beds available?” He felt Alec stiffen beside him at the word ‘boyfriend’, but he remained silent. Magnus resisted the urge to look over, but knew that Alec’s features would probably resemble someone who had just bitten into a sour lemon. 

The woman immediately brightened up, folding the page of her book and pulling out a guest book. “For sure! Where are you two coming from?”

“New York.” Magnus said, smiling brightly. “We just finished our undergrad and wanted to travel together before getting started on the real stuff.” He shuddered, leaning in close and whispering. “The _adult_ stuff.” 

The woman nodded in understanding, not looking much older than an undergrad herself. “Perfectly understandable. My mum wants me to start looking at health care plans.” She rolled her eyes. “How long have you guys been together?”

Magnus squeezed Alec’s hand. “I’m doing all the talking here honey, why don’t you tell her?” He glanced over at Alec to see him roll his eyes but relax his posture. He dropped Magnus’ hand and surprised him by placing that arm around his waist, pulling him close and plastering on a fake smile. 

At least it looked fake. Maybe Alec didn’t smile enough and his smile always looked that way because he was out of practice. 

“It’s been two years but sometimes it just feels like just a few days.” He drawled, sighing dramatically. Magnus chuckled. 

Magnus handed back the guest book, and the girl smiled. “I know the feeling. My boyfriend and I have been together for a few years but it feels like we’ve only just started!” She smiled. “How did you meet?” Before either of them could answer, she put her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry, I’m being incredibly nosy. I don’t get to talk with people much out here.” 

“No worries, love.” Magnus responded, waving his hand. “Alexander here just loves talking about our relationship. Right, babe?”

Alec shot him a look which told Magnus just how much he didn’t enjoy talking about their relationship, and if Alec’s sole purpose on this mission wasn’t to protect him and keep him from dying, Magnus would be slightly concerned that Alec would kill him in his sleep. 

“Of course, _babe_.” Alec gritted out, uncomfortable smile back in place. Magnus was overly aware of how close they were and how he could feel Alec’s chest expand against his side whenever he spoke. Not to mention the ever present feeling of his hand on Magnus’ waist, warm through the material of his shirt. 

“When we first met I hated him. I mean he was beautiful but his personality was anything but.” Alec started. “We met through work and so I had to see him everyday.”

“You weren’t such a peach yourself.” Magnus shot back, eyebrows raised but keeping his (much more believable) smile in place. 

“I thought we agreed I could tell the story, honey?” Alec inquired, voice sticky sweet. Magnus rolled his eyes but gestured for him to continue with a lazy wave. 

“It took a while, but eventually he stopped fighting me on every single thing I did and we learned to work together.” He smiled. “And after that it was easy for me to see he was just hiding behind his humour and using it as a defense mechanism. Once we broke down those walls I got to know the real him, and I realized he was incredibly kind, smart and funny.” The last part was directed at Magnus, Alec’s hazel eyes focused intently on him. 

Magnus raised his eyebrows challengingly and Alec flushed again, breaking their gaze and coughing into his hand. It almost looked for a moment that Alec hadn’t been telling a story, but the truth. But he knew that couldn’t be right. 

Robots couldn’t feel emotions, after all. 

“Well, we’re exhausted from a day of travelling.” The girl nodded quickly, gesturing for them to follow her. Alec dropped his arm as soon as she turned her back to them. Magnus forced himself not to focus on how cold that part of his body was at the loss of contact. 

She brought them to a large room, both walls lined with bunk beds. There were young people everywhere, sitting on the beds chatting, on their phones and even a group of them sitting in the middle of the floor playing cards. The woman directed them to two empty beds at the end of the row. “You guys can set up here. As for house rules we don’t have many; don’t steal, don’t fight and no sex in the common rooms.” 

“But sex _is_ allowed in the bathrooms?” Magnus asked, smirking. 

Alec shot him a look, before turning apologetically to the girl. “Ignore him. Thank you so much for letting us stay. We should be here for no more than a few days.” 

“Sure thing! Just let me know when you check out and we can work out financials, deal?” They both thanked her before she hurried off, back to her quiet desk out front. 

Alec dropped his bag on the bottom bunk, sinking down so that he was sitting. Magnus could see him scanning the room, the agent in him never on rest. He threw his own bag on the top bunk, sitting beside Alec. 

“This is a good spot. We’re safe here.” Magnus said, trying to make his tone as reassuring as possible. He knew Alec had taken the hit of the newspaper hard, much harder than Magnus had. Alec had not been expecting to find that, expecting for Valentine to know they were following him. 

But Magnus had. 

Not for sure, but he had had a pretty good inclination. He’d been expecting that article - or something similar - at some point in their trip, and it made sense that it was so early. Valentine had eyes everywhere, he was always watching. Even when he was in prison, he no doubt had people doing his dirty work for him, planning for his eventual return.

And now that he had returned, his plan was becoming more and more clear to Magnus. But he couldn’t let Alec in on it just yet. Alec had proven himself to be different from the institution he came from, but he was still a member of the Clave. For all Magnus knew, he was an incredible actor playing the part of stuck up douche with a hidden soft side. 

And if it meant delving into his own past, Magnus wasn’t interested in finding out. 

Magnus stood up, hands going to his hips. “Alright, this little pity party is over. We had a little setback, but you need to stop sulking.”

“I’m not sulking.” Alec shot back defensively. 

“Okay fine, then you need to stop moping around, wallowing in the fact that he knows where we are.” He glanced around, but none of the kids in the room seemed to be listening. “We still have just as good of a shot at this as we did before, now he just knows we’re coming. Which means,” he shot a pointed look at Alec, “we can’t be sitting around sulking.” 

Alec rolled his eyes. He leaned back on his hands, shirt rolled up to his elbows, leaving his forearms on display. Magnus dragged his eyes away. “So what do you suggest we do then?”

“Let’s go exploring.”

Alec actually laughed out loud, the sound startled from him and he clapped his hand over his mouth to stifle it. Many of the other residents in the room turned at the sound. Alec lowered his voice. “You want to go _exploring_? Why don’t I just paint a giant red target on your back before we leave? Might make it easier for Valentine to spot you.” His face suggested he found the topic funny, but his voice portrayed anything but, sarcasm heavy in his tone. 

Magnus sighed. “It’s not as if I’m going out and dancing the macarena in the middle of the street, yelling his name and ringing a cowbell, Alexander. I simply want to go explore this city a little, maybe get a feel for where we are. It may come in useful.”

“No.”

He turned away from Magnus, opening up his bag and pulling out what looked like sleep wear. Which, it wasn’t even midnight and they were in a beautiful city that neither of them had ever visited before. Magnus was not about to allow Alec to pass this opportunity up. 

He reached up to his own bag and rifled around in it, pulling out a clean shirt. Without so much as a glance around him, he swept off the shirt he was wearing and deposited it in the bag. Alec looked up from where he was digging in his own bag, and did a double-take, much to Magnus’ amusement. He flicked his eyes away quickly but the slight flush on his cheeks was impossible to miss. 

Interesting. 

Magnus filed the information away for examination at a later date, sliding his arms into the shirt and slowly buttoning it up. “Well you do what you want. I’m going out.” 

He had hardly turned around when he felt Alec’s long fingers on his elbow, holding him in place. “Magnus, stop.” He turned around, raising a defiant eyebrow. “You are not going out right now. Or ever, actually. We had a close call in Purkersdorf and I’m not taking that chance again.” 

Magnus smiled, small and devious. “Oh darling, it’s cute that you think you can stop me. Besides,” he shrugged “I’m not doing anything bad. I just want to do some sight seeing.”

“Magnus I’m serious.”

“And so am I.” He challenged. “I’m going out. Now, it’s my understanding that your job here is to protect me. I know your reputation says you’re good, Lightwood, but I doubt even you could keep me safe when you’re stuck in here and I’m out there.”

Alec sighed, studying Magnus for a moment more. Magnus hoped he had read Alec right and that he actually wasn’t pushing him too far. He knew that one call to the Clave and Alec could have him arrested, assassinated or just mysteriously vanish, no trace whatsoever. 

Though part of him knew that Alec wouldn’t do that, that he wasn’t some mindless robot.

Shoulders slumping in defeat, Alec sighed causing Magnus to grin. “We’re going out for an hour, nothing more.” He grabbed his leather jacket, sliding his arms into it. “And no clubs.” 

“Why Alexander, what makes you think I like to go clubbing?” Alec shot him a deadpan look. Magnus shrugged, accepting.“Okay, fair point.” 

They grabbed what they needed, locking the rest in a box under the bed that the woman at the front desk has given them. Magnus saw Alec slip two daggers and a pistol into the back of his pants, jacket covering them quickly. 

He stood up, turning once again to face Magnus. “One hour, Magnus. I’m serious.” 

Magnus gave him a mock salute, grinning. “Whatever you say, boss.” 

Alec sighed again, shaking his head and muttered something about ‘certain death’, but started walking towards the door nonetheless. “Let’s go.”

 

***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think?
> 
> I'm hoping to get back on a more regular posting schedule now, but no promises are being made since you all know how I don't stick to them. 
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> If you want to chat you can find me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/insiemes) xx
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> See you soon angels!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus and Alec explore Poprad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally up! If you're tweeting, you can tag #eosfic or #insiemes so that I can see them!
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>    
> Many thanks to the heartbreakers™ for coming to save me last minute and jumping on board as the best group of betas anyone could ask for. I lové all of you dearly. x
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> Enjoy! xx

Alec would never admit it out loud, but he was actually pretty glad that Magnus had convinced him to leave the hostel tonight. 

The streets were filled with young people dressed up to the nines in party clothing, no doubt on their way to one of the many clubs along the main strip. They travelled in groups, talking, laughing and dancing as they went. The atmosphere on the street was fun and everyone appeared to be having a good time. It almost made Alec forget the reason that they were there. 

Almost. 

Magnus, like the young people, clearly wanted to go into one of the clubs and would look at them longingly as they passed. But each time he strayed, Alec steered him away with a firm grip to his elbow. Clubs were breeding grounds for criminal activity and Alec knew that Magnus was aware of this too, he just had a feeling the other man didn’t care as much. If Valentine and his men were in the city, they no doubt had taken up residence in one of the night clubs and Alec wasn’t willing to let Magnus risk his life just for a couple of drinks and some dancing. When he told Magnus this, he was informed that clubs nowadays were good for more than just drink and dancing. 

“Young Alexander -”

“I’m only a few years younger than you.”

Magnus continued on as if he hadn’t spoken. “While your education was extensive, there appear to be a few areas in which it is very much lacking. Allow me to fill in the gaps.” He looked over to Alec, probably expecting some sort of reaction but was just met with vague gesture to proceed. Magnus let out a huff. “Clubs come in many types and varieties. There are your traditional, more vanilla-type clubs in which you are referring to," he pointed to one as they passed, heavy music and lights spilling out the door, "that offer drinking and dancing with strangers. Then you have your more exotic clubs that have scantily clad men and women, dancing for and _on_ you, rather than with you. Which are also quite enjoyable, if I may add.” Alec rolled his eyes. Magnus seemed to be under the impression that Alec didn’t grow up in New York. He was, of course, aware that strip clubs existed. 

“Finally you have your more, how shall I put it, _risque_ clubs, in which often there is not much dancing involved. Yet they provide just as good, if not an even a better, time.” He waggled his eyebrows. “If you know what I mean.”

Alec was fairly certain he got what Magnus was referring to, and determinedly did not think of him in one of those settings, lest his face get any redder than it no doubt already was. While Alec was not naive enough to be unaware that sex clubs were a thing, he had never (if his mother ever found out he went to a _sex club_ , Alec didn't even want to think of the repercussions). But from the way Magnus was talking, he clearly had some experience. 

Alec quickly tried to change the subject, shutting down the curious voice in the back of his mind. 

They continued their walk down the main street, Magnus chattering about how they could spend their evening. Alec was only half listening, too busy watching all that was going on around him. It was interesting for him, watching the influx of culture that practically swam before his eyes. Alec had never been one to go downtown New York for clubbing often, only on a handful of occasion when Isabelle and Jace had dragged him out. 

But The City That Never Sleeps had nothing on downtown Poprad. All around them were explosions of lights and colour, feathers, flowers and large dresses. There was music - lots of music - loud but upbeat, the kind that made you want to dance even if you had no idea how. People were dancing in the middle of the street, grabbing one another and twirling to the beat without a care in the world and live bands were set up along the road. Alec wondered if there was some sort of festival going on but when he asked Magnus, he told him that it was always like this, that this was how they partied.

At one point they passed through a group of women decked out in beautiful flower headdresses, and were pulled into the group despite Alec’s best protests. All of a sudden he and Magnus were surrounded by laughter and singing, hands grabbing them, rings of flowers thrown around their necks. He lost sight of Magnus almost immediately and after only a moment of panic, found him; his head was thrown back in laughter, being twirled by one of the flowered women. The lights of the street shone down on him, lighting up his already highlighted features and Alec found it very difficult to draw his eyes away. 

He was singing with one of the women, twirling her as she twirled him. He had a bright smile on his face, teeth on full display and eyes crinkling with pure happiness, eyes alight. The expression was contagious and Alec found himself grinning, smile stretching across his features for no apparent reason. He let his eyes linger, just a moment longer, drinking in the sight of the beautiful man beside him.

Because of this, he was aware of the exact moment Magnus looked over. He smiled when he saw Alec looking over, holding his hand out in his direction. An invitation. Every single molecule in his brain was screaming at him to stop, to grab Magnus and to get out of there, go back to the hostel. He shouldn’t be doing this - dancing - with a hitman, with his _client_ during a mission. But his body won out over his brain. They could worry about the mission tomorrow. He grabbed Magnus’ hand and pulled him closer through the crowd until there were no dancers in between them. Every thought of bad ideas, hitmen and missions vacated his mind completely, leaving him just with the overwhelming feeling of Magnus’ hand in his own and his chest pressed close. 

The women circled around them, throwing flower petals and laughing and Alec found himself laughing with them. The sound seemed to startle Magnus who looked up at Alec in wonder, but a moment later he grinned and twirled him under his arm. The dancing was awkward and messy to say the least (Alec trying to twirl under Magnus’ arm was incredibly difficult due to his height and just served to leave both of them laughing) but it was quite possibly the most fun Alec had had in a really long time. 

Probably the most fun Alec had ever had. 

Some time later, they finally untangled themselves from the group with promises to stop by on their walk home if they had time. They left the dancers with wide smiles and flushed faces, hearts beating erratically in their chests. Or maybe that was just Alec’s. He looked down at Magnus and was sure that his face was just as flushed as the other man, though it probably didn’t look nearly as good on him. The flowers around Magnus’ neck were fresh, a beautiful shade of magenta that matched the streaks in his hair and the smile on his face was wider than any smile Alec had ever seen (which was definitely an exaggeration, but at the moment Alec didn’t care). 

“Alexander, I wasn’t sure you had it in you.” Magnus laughed, breathless. Alec drew his mind back to the present. 

“Have what in me?” He asked, looking over at the other man. 

Magnus just looked up at him, shaking his head with a fond smile. “Fun, darling.” 

Alec ran a hand through his hair, laughing defensively. “Hey! I have fun.” He shrugged, “Work just usually comes first for me.” 

Magnus nodded, bumping his hip with Alec’s. “Well, Mr. Secret Agent, you should let your hair down more often. I like this side of you.” 

“I - uh, thanks.” Alec responded, shooting Magnus a smile. “I’ll work on it, I guess.” 

Magnus grinned in response, grabbing Alec by the arm and leading him around another group of dancers. They continued their walk down the street, this time the atmosphere considerably lighter between them. Alec found himself smiling against his own accord more than once, often at a joke told by Magnus, who was actually pretty entertaining. He was filled with well-timed witty comebacks and one-liners that had Alec holding his stomach with laughter. It wasn’t lost on Alec that he was actually starting to enjoy Magnus’ company, seeing him as a sort of friend.

He idly wondered what the Commander and his parents would think of him being friends with a hitman. 

In another world, one where Alec wasn’t a trained agent and Magnus wasn’t a hitman, Alec supposed they could have been real friends. They could have been two people that met in a coffee shop, or on the subway and immediately hit it off. In an alternate universe he could even see him falling for Magnus, and Magnus him. Going through the typical firsts in a relationship and maybe settling down together.

But unfortunately they weren’t in an alternate universe and concepts like falling in love and settling down were not an option for either of them. But friendship? Alec could definitely handle friendship. 

Magnus tapped his shoulder. “Want to check this place out? I hear it’s good.” He was pointing to a small bar that looked like it was directly out of a movie. It was very clearly a pirate themed tavern, complete with wine barrels, maids and wenches.

Alec raised his eyebrows. “Where did you hear that from?”

Magnus just smirked, steering them towards the building. “I have contacts all over the world, Alexander.”

Alec smirked back. “Little cabbage?” Magnus just rolled his eyes, pulling Alec inside. 

The inside was even more authentic than the outside, not that Alec had ever been to a real pirates’ tavern but he supposed this was what they were to look like. Along the walls were various nautical-looking items; ship’s wheel, nets, fishing equipment and more that Alec wasn’t sure the names of. The tables looked to be made of old pieces of a ship’s hull, propped up on wine barrels and smaller barrels served as seats. Strung along the roof were cut up pieces of the sail, hanging down by the lanterns and giving the room a warm and strangely homey feel. 

“Remind me again who your contacts are?” Alec asked leaning into Magnus’ side, looking around the place. 

Magnus winked. “A magician never reveals his secrets.”

Snorting, Alec looked over. “And that would totally apply, _if_ you were a magician.” 

“Do you doubt my abilities?” Magnus asked, meeting Alec’s eyes.

Alec’s response was drowned out by the large bartender, dressed to the nines in a pirates costume, hailing them over. At least, Alec assumed it was a costume.“Ey mates!” Magnus and Alec shared a look before Alec shrugged and they made their way over to the man. “Ye two lads look lost. Wha' can I get fer ye?”

“Let’s get started with two grogs, kind sir.” Magnus answered immediately. 

“Comin’ righ’ up.” 

He disappeared into the back and Alec took the opportunity to lean over to Magnus. “What is a grog?”

Magnus laughed. “I’m not actually sure. I think it has rum in it, but I’ve been told that this place makes the best.” 

“From your informant?”

“From my informant.” Alec rolled his eyes, but with much less annoyance than before. He had accepted at this point that Magnus wanted to keep some things about his life private and that was something Alec could respect, especially considering this person didn’t seem to be putting him in any danger. 

But when the bartender set two glasses of dark murky brown liquid in front of them, Alec was starting to have second guesses about this informant. “What is this?” He asked, lifting the glass up to the light. 

“Rum n’ water, lad. Nectar of the gods, that is.” Alec nodded in thanks, looking skeptically at the drink. Beside him, Magnus seemed to be getting great enjoyment from watching Alec’s expression, smirking into his own glass when Alec glanced over. With a mischievous wink, he took a giant swig, downing half the glass in just one gulp. 

Not wanting to be outdone (though Alec had no doubts that Magnus could most definitely drink him under the table), Alec took a sip. The liquid was bitter and burned the entire path down his throat to his stomach, causing him to scrunch up his nose and his eyes to water. He didn’t choke, though only barely. 

Magnus chuckled and the barman gave him a strong clap on the shoulder. “Alright thar, lad?”

Alec nodded, bitter taste still filling his senses. He swiped at his eyes when he was sure they both weren’t looking. Magnus placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, gesturing to the tap behind the bar. “Maybe just a beer for my friend here?” 

“Yer got ‘t.”

The pirate disappeared behind the bar again and Alec sent Magnus a grateful smile. They continued to drink in silence for a while, both of them enjoying the atmosphere of the bar around them. It was fairly busy but was by no means crowded, just a few people milling about and drinking. Many of the people in here were dressed similarly to the bartender though there were a few like Alec and Magnus in normal clothing. Alec, unable to stop himself, did a quick scan of the faces in the bar. None of them seemed particularly threatening, nor did they look like they were working for an international crime lord.

Good to know. 

“Unable to turn off your brain for even a night, agent?” Magnus whispered, right up to Alec’s ear, so close that he had fight the urge to shiver. Alec really needed to get a hold of himself. Losing control of this small crush he had would be the worst thing for both of them right now.

“Just making sure. You never know who might be here.” He whispered back. Magnus pulled back from his space, pursing his lips and Alec let out a long breath, already feeling the loss of closeness.

“Don’t worry darling, if any bad guys are on the premises, I’ll be sure to protect you.” Magnus drawled, taking another lazy sip of his drink. Alec found himself distracted by the way his ring-clad fingers wrapped around the glass, clinking whenever he moved. Magnus always wore so much jewelry, stones and crystals that all looked to be exotic, foreign and incredibly expensive. He blended in quite well with their surroundings actually, looking like a captain of a pirate ship, proudly displaying his prized treasure on each finger. Alec could very clearly imagine him in a royal looking waist coat, large captain's hat on while he commanded a crew of pirates. 

“Right.” Alec deadpanned. “Because you’re the protector in this situation.” Magnus laughed, unabashed and loud, throwing his head back. Alec looked away. 

After a while, Magnus convinced him to get up and play darts, ("Because you don't come to a bar and just drink, Alexander") with the promise that he would go easy on Alec. Alec didn’t want him to feel bad so he just smiled. He didn’t want to tell Magnus that he had been throwing knives at targets since he was a toddler and could probably beat him in his sleep. They were just starting to become friends after all, and showing off like that was not a way to make or keep friends. 

They threw a few shots and anyone could see that Alec was clearly the stronger of the two of them, hitting the bullseye almost every time. Magnus wasn’t bad, but he had yet to hit the centre of the board once. 

Alec lined up again, throwing another perfect bullseye. Grinning proudly, he turned to Magnus. “See? It’s all about angles. The way you hold your elbow and shoulder and after that it’s just the timing of the release.” 

Magnus nodded, though he didn’t seem to be as into the game as he was before. They hadn't been playing long, but he was sat on a stool close to the board, looking rather dejected as he nursed his drink. Alec twirled his remaining dart between his fingers, thinking only for a moment before throwing it. 

It landed wildy off target, nowhere near the bullseye. He shrugged, glancing to Magnus. “Can’t win them all, I guess.”

He collected his darts and moved off to the side, letting Magnus take his turn. He leaned against the stool and took a sip of his beer as he watched the other man line up and throw a perfect shot. Alec swallowed his beer quickly, clapping. “Hey, there you go!” Magnus just smiled at him over his shoulder, and while maintaining eye contact with Alec, threw his other dart. It hit the other one dead on, splitting it in two. 

Alec almost dropped his beer. 

“My dear, Alexander. A little frown and some puppy dog eyes was all it took for you to show your hand? Never let your opponent get the best of you.” He grinned. “I believe you have just been played. Or as our lovely pirate friends say - ‘hornswoggled’.” 

Alec nodded, look of shock transforming into one of realization. He should have connected the dots; after all, Magnus _had_ thrown a dagger right at his head only days before. Finally putting all the pieces together, he nodded again, small grin splayed on his face. “Okay.”

Magnus grinned back. “Okay?”

Alec just smirked, setting his beer down and grabbing a new set of darts for Magnus, holding them out. “Okay, let’s play.” 

 

***

 

“All I’m saying is, that last shot shouldn’t have counted.” Alec defended, shoulder bumping Magnus’ as they strolled down the street. It was quite late by the time they left the bar so not nearly as many people were still out as when they arrived. A foggy mist had settled over the street and Magnus shivered. 

“You mean the shot that you tried to sabotage?” He challenged back. Alec snorted. 

The shot in question was one of the last before they had called it quits. Magnus had had a clear lead and was doing incredibly well for himself, Alec a fair number of points behind. Once they had _actually_ started playing, it was clear to see that Magnus was much better, though Alec could still hold his own. But in this particular game he was not going to win, and realizing this had tried to sabotage Magnus by spilling his drink on him. 

Something he was trying to claim as an accident. 

“Honestly, it was just a clumsy moment!” Alec retorted, laughing. “That stool appeared out of nowhere and my foot got caught!” He had laughed so many times this evening that the sound no longer startled Magnus, that it was something he consciously found himself trying to elicit from Alec. 

Magnus shot him a look. “Well, tell that to my seven hundred dollar shirt, Alexander.” 

Alec’s eyes went wide, mouth dropping open in shock. “Seven _hundred_ dollars? Shit, Magnus I’m sorry. I’ll pay for a new one I promise. I mean, we have the Clave’s budget so we can pretty much get whatever we wa-”

Magnus held up his hands, turning to Alec. “God, I’m kidding, please stop apologizing.” He sent Alec a genuine smile. “I was merely poking fun. I do not mind in the slightest that there’s an irremovable stain on my very expensive designer shirt.” He added a wink at the end for good measure. 

Alec punched him in the arm, but shot him a smile. 

Magnus had enjoyed himself immensely more than he had originally expected to this evening. He went into the night thinking he would drag Alec to a few places, him grumbling about code and honour and the mission the entire time, before the agent eventually pulled him back to the hostel. 

What he hadn’t expected was to get to know Alec, to see him laugh and smile and actually _joke around_. 

They had had quite a good conversation during their few rounds of darts, Alec sharing little stories about his siblings and how they used to have dagger throwing competitions as children. This translated into him talking more about life at the Institute, and more about his family. He was different when he talked about them; it could have been the alcohol but he was much more open and smiled more when he talked about his siblings, especially his younger sister. He was slowly starting to come out of his hard packed shell, and each new little piece Magnus got to see, the more he wanted to find out. 

He hadn’t pried into Magnus’ family either, something Magnus was grateful for. He wasn’t sure how much Alec was aware of regarding Magnus’ past, but if he knew much he wasn’t letting on to it. 

Magnus continued to poke fun at Alec during their walk back to the hostel, feigning despair over his ruined piece of clothing and how he wondered if there was ever a way Alec could make it up to him. Alec, in response, would make some sarcastic comment back about losing sleep over the whole ordeal, wondering if there was any way he could live with himself, knowing the emotional toll he had taken on Magnus. 

They turned down an alley, a few streets away from the hostel. It was dimly lit but Magnus clearly remembered it coming out near where they were headed. His voice echoed off the walls, laughs bouncing back to them as they walked. “The damage has been done, Alexander. I don’t know how we’re going to come back from this.” 

Alec rolled his eyes dramatically. “How will I ever forgive myself?” But he laughed at the end, the infectious sound causing Magnus to chuckle as well. If he was being honest, they were both a little drunk, tired and more than a little distracted. 

Which is why they hadn’t noticed the tail that had been following them since they left the bar. 

But they were made aware a second later, a shot ringing out in the confined space. Alec reacted, but only a second too late. The bullet grazed the back of Magnus’ shoulder, stinging pain webbing along his nerves as they hit the ground. Alec had pulled him to the side, noticing the shooter a fraction of a second before he had shot, before Magnus had even registered he was there, ducking behind a set of garbage bins. 

In a second his weapon was out and loaded, eyes hard with a fire he had not seen in the young agent before. He pushed Magnus back against the wall and crouched in front of him as he peered out around the bin. “Magnus.” He whispered, voice thin. His eyes were trained against the wall, his back to Magnus. “Are you okay? Give me a sign you’re okay.”

Magnus swallowed, taking in registry of his pain. His shoulder felt like it was on fire but a tentative press of his fingers proved that it was merely a graze and nothing deeper, thankfully. “I’m fine.” Alec didn’t turn around but Magnus could see his posture relax slightly. 

The alley had gone quiet, but the air was crackling with tension. Somewhere on the other side of the garbage bin were an undetermined amount of shooters, poised and ready to take them out at the slightest moment. Valentine officially knew where they were and he clearly had no interest in playing games. Magnus tried to sit up to help Alec, to do something, but a flame of pain shot straight up his arm and he winced, falling back. 

So Magnus’ shooting arm was currently out of the running, but he was an okay shooter with his left hand. He could manage, if he had to.

Alec peered around the side of their shield, trying to get a glimpse at their attackers location. Almost instantly another shot filled the air, cracking the silence that had enveloped the alley. Alec jumped back, pressing his back against the metal. “Shit.” He closed his eyes, breathing out through his nose. “We’re outnumbered. There’s three of them, two with guns as far as I can see.” 

Magnus nodded. “Can you get a shot?” 

Alec’s eyes snapped open. “Of course I can. But getting a shot isn’t what I’m concerned about right now. We need to get out of here.” 

Patiently, Magnus continued. “And to do that we’re going to need to take a shot or we’re not even going to get a step out from behind this thing.” He made sure there was no teasing lilt in his voice, no joking. Alec seemed to contemplate this for a moment, but then his eyes flicked down to Magnus’ shoulder where blood was no doubt already starting to spread. He nodded curtly.

“Okay. You stay behind here. You’re injured and there’s no way you’re shooting.” Magnus opened his mouth to interject, but Alec shut him down immediately. “No. Stop it. You’re the reason we’re in this situation right now, and you’re going to do as I say. Stay behind here and put pressure on your wound.” He shook his head. “How could you be so stupid? I knew it was a terrible idea to come out tonight, and look what happened?” The words were harsh, bitten, and hurt more than Magnus cared to admit. 

But Alec was in action seconds later, moving out from the shelter, shots ringing out before he had even cleared it. He ducked behind a stack of boxes on the other side of the alleyway, pausing only a moment before standing and letting two more sure shots out. 

Magnus of course had heard all about Alec Lightwood, about his talents and how the Clave considered him to be their best and brightest. He had done his research, but it was something else altogether to see Alec in action. His movements were calculated and precise, each shot hitting it’s destination with blinding accuracy. He didn’t waver a moment, features calm as he took the lives of three men. 

He was lethal. He was beautiful. 

It was over quickly, or maybe it wasn’t. Magnus wasn’t sure because things were starting to go fuzzy and Alec’s face was fading in and out of focus. In his mind the fight only lasted seconds, but when Alec came back, he wasn’t so sure. He hovered over Magnus, face pale. He was saying Magnus’ name, he could hear it clearly but his tongue wouldn’t let him speak back, lolling uncomfortably in his mouth. 

He felt the ground slipping underneath him, swallowing him up but it was just Alec, lifting him up bridal style. And that would usually be the time where he would make a witty joke, maybe flirt with Alec a little but the movement caused his shoulder to move and all he could do was grit his teeth and let out a pained groan. 

_You’re the reason we’re in this situation._

Alec had said those words and they had hurt, but that didn’t mean they were any less true. Magnus had been the one to convince them to go out. He had been the one to bypass all of Alec’s protests about it being unsafe and putting them in danger, too blinded by the need to explore, to have a good time. But Alec had been right. It was stupid and reckless and he hadn’t been thinking and now he was hurt. The only positive was that he was hurt and not Alec, but from the expression on his face, the other man did not share that sentiment with Magnus. 

One moment they were in the alley and next they were behind the hostel, Alec setting him down on the cold, hard ground. He was muttering under his breath as he worked the buttons on Magnus’ shirt and he focused, trying to make them out. “Stupid, so stupid. How could I let this happen? Such a stupid, stupid fucking decision.” 

Magnus put all the energy he had left into trying to get his tongue to move. “Not stupid.” It was garbled and raspy but Alec heard him, snapping his head up. “Fun ‘lexander.” Magnus’ eyes started to flutter and he could feel the darkness closing in on his vision. 

“Hey, hey none of that. Look at me right now.” Alec commanded, fingers grabbing Magnus’ chin and tilting it so he was looking in Magnus’ eyes. The movement was surprisingly gentle. “Keep looking at me, okay? I have not put up with your crap for the past week only to have you to die on me now.”

Magnus smiled, mustering up another ounce of energy. “Mm, don’t have to tell me twice.”

Alec shook his head, but Magnus swore there was a faint trace of a smile there. Maybe he was hallucinating. “We have to go inside and get you patched up. I think we’ll draw a little bit of attention if we bring you into the hostel like this.” He paused. “Though we can’t stay here now, not after tonight.” He shook his head. “Shit.”

He had gotten Magnus’ shirt off and tore a strip off it, without even a second thought. Magnus must have let out a choked noise because Alec immediately looked up, concern on his features. “Magnus, are you alright? What’s wrong?”

He swallowed, mouth dry. “Sev-seven hundred.” Alec looked confused, eyes flicking between Magnus’ for clarification before looking down to the shirt in his hands. 

He let out a small, choked laugh. “Unbelievable. Magnus Bane, you are unbelievable. Gunshot wound to the shoulder and all you’re thinking about is how I ruined your shirt?”

Magnus nodded, no energy to say anything else. He let Alec wrap the fabric around the wound, stopping the blood flow. It would need to be cleaned and sterilized, probably some stitches but this would do for now to get them in the door. 

Since Magnus didn’t have a shirt, Alec slipped his leather jacket off and helped Magnus into it, zipping it over his injured arm so he didn’t have to put his arm through the sleeve. “Okay, we’re going to go in the back way. This lock looks relatively easy to pick, but we’ll have to be quiet. Think you can do that?” Magnus nodded. “And if anyone asks, please just pretend to be drunk.”

Miraculously, they made it into the hostel with no incidents. Alec held up most of Magnus’ weight and they stumbled through the beds and straight to the washroom on the other side. From there, they assessed Magnus’ wound which Alec determined did not need stitches, just some gauze and a good cleaning. He had gotten Magnus some juice and a snack from the common area, instructing him to eat while he patched him up. 

Alec was quiet while he worked, only asking Magnus to move a little or turn into the light. He was sitting on the counter of the bathroom in just his dark jeans, Alec behind him dabbing at the wound with another piece of Magnus’ shirt and some rubbing alcohol. Magnus could see his face in the mirror, but so far Alec hadn’t been able to meet his eye. 

“I’m sorry.” 

Alec kept working, but Magnus could see him tense. “I’m sorry,” he repeated “for putting myself - for putting us - in danger just for a bit of fun. It was reckless and stupid and I shouldn’t have convinced you to do it.” 

The agent was quiet, meticulously applying the gauze with tape and securing it to Magnus’ skin. When there was nothing else to distract himself with, he leaned against the counter and crossed his arms, finally meeting Magnus’ eyes in the mirror. “You’re right, it was stupid. And reckless and irresponsible and against the rules. So many things could have gone wrong tonight, Magnus. We very easily could have gotten killed, or captured and blown the entire mission.” 

Magnus knew all of this, of course. The exact same thoughts had been running through his mind since the first shot had rung out. But instead of responding, he just nodded. 

Alec sighed. “But we didn’t.” The statement caused Magnus to look up quickly. Gone was the anger and disappointment from Alec’s expression, instead replaced with … shame? Regret? Magnus wasn’t sure. “You got hurt, and for that I can’t apologize enough. It’s my job here to make sure you’re safe and I failed, so I’m sorry.” 

This conversation had taken a dramatic turn in a direction Magnus had not anticipated and he was doing all he could to keep up. Alec had been angry - furious, even - but now he just looked upset and not at Magnus, but at himself. As if it was his fault that they had been tailed, his fault that Magnus had gotten shot. 

Magnus thought back to when they were on the steps outside, when Alec had been cursing. He had thought Alec was cursing at him, but now maybe he thought the other man was cursing at himself. “Alexander, you said it in they alley and you were right. It was my fault this happened. I was the one who convinced you to go out and if we hadn’t none of this would have happened.”

“Yeah, but I knew it was wrong and I still said yes, Magnus. I agreed to go out, to explore because honestly? I wanted to see the city too. I was selfish and that almost cost you your life.”

Magnus turned around, sick of looking at Alec in the mirror. “I’m fine. A little banged up, but I’m going to be okay. You pushed me out of the way, and I know for certain if you hadn’t I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you. So stop beating yourself up Alexander, because you saved me.” 

Alec closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. He let out a long exhale, keeping his eyes closed. “You got lucky, next time you might not.” 

Magnus nodded. “Let’s worry about next time later, okay? I’m exhausted and would love nothing more than to sleep for the next - “ he looked at his watch “six hours, if I can.” 

Alec sighed, resigned and nodded. He held out a hand to help Magnus off the counter and over to the bed. He had certainly gotten more of his strength back, but was nowhere near full capacity. He let Alec help him into a t-shirt and pull back the covers. 

Alec took the top bunk and soon enough the room was quiet again, filled with quiet snores from the other travellers. Magnus adjusted himself into a position that was more comfortable, but when you had just gotten shot, there wasn’t many positions that could be considered entirely comfortable. 

He was exhausted and the adrenaline had finally started to leave his system, leaving him drowsy and tired. He felt his eyes slip closed, the last thought on his mind before he went under being that he needed to find a way to make it up to Alec.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're finally getting into a little more angst ... what did you think?
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> You can find me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/insiemes) if you want to chat :)
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> 
> See you soon angels! :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus heals. Alec hurts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter for you, angels! 
> 
> A few things before we start:  
> -I have a completed plan (finally) for this fic and have updated the chapter count accordingly.  
> -From here on in, things are going to get a little dark (i.e graphic depictions of violence etc) so if that's not something you are comfortable with PLEASE DON'T READ  
> -I will post trigger warnings for each chapter that has that content in it though! 
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> I hope you like this one! If you're tweeting reactions you can tag #eosfic :)
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> Enjoy!

They decided the best course of action would be to lay low for the next couple of days after the attack. What with Valentine’s men on the loose and clearly out for blood, not to mention Magnus’ injury, Alec wasn’t interested in taking any more unnecessary chances. 

Instead, they hung out around the hostel while Alec tried desperately to think of anything but the attack. He supposed he should’ve started referring to it by what it was - an assassination attempt - but calling it that made it that much more real, much more dangerous. It meant that there were men out there who’s sole mission was to take out Alec and Magnus before they took out their boss. And to think that they had gotten close, that only a few seconds difference and the bullet would have gone through Magnus’ heart rather than his shoulder. Alec shut his eyes as a shudder wracked his body. 

The hot spray of the shower did nothing to drown out the pounding clarity of his thoughts. He leaned his head against the cool tiles, letting the cascading stream of water pound into his skin, steam enveloping him as it hung heavy in the air, but no amount of water could clean his troubled mind. 

Alec didn’t like to think about what had happened more than he had to, but unfortunately his mind wasn’t being incredibly cooperative on that front. The truth was, Alec had been on countless missions during his career and had been thrown into situations much more dangerous than the one he and Magnus were in a week prior; but never before had he felt so scared, so helpless in his job. The crack of the gunshot still rang through his mind, waking him up in the middle of the night from sleep, panting and sweating. Magnus’ limp, bleeding body kept flashing in his nightmares, except in the dreams the blood kept pooling and Alec couldn’t stop it, no matter how hard he pressed at the wound. 

He knew that this reaction wasn’t normal and that the right thing to do would be to request leave from the case, but that was out of the option. Not only did this case have too much riding on it it professionally for him, he didn’t trust another agent to come in and take his place in protecting Magnus. The hitman was a handful, but Alec had grown undeniably fond of him over the past few weeks. Besides that, he knew how Magnus’ mind worked now, and when they worked together they made a pretty good team.

Alec wasn’t willing to let that go just because of a few bad dreams. 

So he struggled to make sense of the flashbacks on his own, not wanting to involve Magnus in it just yet. Never before had he had this reaction to a job, to a client getting hurt. Clients got hurt; it was an unfortunate side effect of the job, often unavoidable. Alec theorized that maybe the fact that he had taken two lives that night might have something to do with it. No matter how he presented himself on the outside, Alec was not all the hard warrior he appeared to be and taking lives still made him incredibly uncomfortable. He would do it if necessary, and if placed in another situation where Magnus was hurt he would not hesitate to pull the trigger, but each time a bullet left his chamber and sunk into the chest of another, he felt a small part of himself die along with them. 

And so, so easily taking down two men last week was probably the reason he was losing his grip on his psyche.

Alec walked out of the bathroom, towel drying his hair, another one slung around his waist. Magnus was sitting on the bed, book in one hand, other arm wrapped up in a crude sling Alec had fashioned from some gauze. They had changed hostels twice since the incident, Alec not wanting them to be followed despite Magnus’ insisted insurances that they were fine. But Alec wasn’t going to risk their safety again just because Magnus didn’t want to pack his suitcase.

“How are you feeling?”

Magnus clicked his tongue. “About the same as when you asked me before your shower.” He sighed when he looked over and saw Alec still waiting for an answer. “I’m fine, Alexander. There is still some pain but I’m starting to get more range of movement.” He grinned. “Look! I can shrug my shoulder now!” He demonstrated the action, only wincing slightly. 

Alec shot him a stern look. “Stop moving it so much. You don’t want to risk reopening the wound.” He went to the bed beside Magnus, hanging his towel up and digging around for a change of clothes. Magnus had gone back to his book, seemingly having decided to ignore Alec, though he caught him smirking slightly behind the pages as he read. 

Dropping down onto his own bed, Alec pulled out an updated case file the Clave had sent over. The room they were in was completely empty except for them, everyone else out and enjoying the nice day. Which was good for Alec, because it meant that he could talk about the mission without fear of being overheard. “A few more days and we should be ready to start moving again.” He mused, lazily flicking open the nondescript brown cover. 

Magnus made an annoyed grunt in the back of his throat. “I would be ready to go this very moment if my nursemaid wasn’t such a stickler.” 

Alec rolled his eyes. He laid on his side, lazily flicking through the new information the Clave had sent. It wasn’t much that they didn’t already know, besides a few more ID’s of Valentine’s followers and some of their frequent hangouts in the city. “You still need longer to heal, even a few days is going to be pushing it but the Clave is putting pressure on us to get this done. Besides, you’ll thank me in a few years when you can use both of your arms without pain coursing through your shoulder due to an unhealed injury. Also -” He levelled Magnus with a glare, “I am _not_ your nursemaid.” 

Magnus hummed, pensive, eyes never leaving his book. “You’re right, you’re more like a helicopter mom.” 

Alec let out a snort of laughter. “Please tell me you didn’t just refer to me as your mother.” 

Magnus raised an eyebrow, eyes finally leaving the novel and darting to Alec’s. “Are you into that?” At Alec’s scrunched up nose, he let out a devilish smirk. “Or perhaps … daddy?” 

Alec balled up his wet towel and chucked it at Magnus’ head. Rolling his eyes, he sat up and crossed his legs beneath him. He could feel the heat rising on his cheeks but hoped Magnus didn’t notice. “Don’t be crude.” 

“Are you kink shaming me, Alexander?” Magnus asked, smirk only widening.

“What? No! Of course - wait … are _you_ into that?” Alec was definitely, one hundred percent blushing this time. And Magnus, smug little bastard he was, decided to leave that question hanging. He reached across their beds, grabbing the case file from Alec’s limp hand and waved it in his direction, coy grin in place. 

Alec took a second too long to recover, but eventually coughed into his hand and grabbed the file back from Magnus, diving right into it.

He filled Magnus in on his conversation earlier with the Clave. Alec had put off telling them about Magnus’ injury for a few days, wanting to give Magnus as much time to recover as he could. When he did get around to filling them in, they took it about as well as expected; his father made snide comments about Magnus being incompetent and unqualified and his mother asked if they needed the Clave to send reinforcements. The Commander had been patient, listening to everyone speak before she as well suggested that it may be time to dispatch a few agents to assist them. Alec respectfully but forcefully declined, told them that he and Magnus would be fine to complete the mission on their own after he was back to full health. 

He left out the part about the two of them drinking and going out on the town before the attack though, instead telling them it had happened during the transit between the airport and the hostel. He didn’t think his mother and father would appreciate it if they found out he had been out on the town with their client. They also had a strict no drinking rule while on mission, for obvious reasons. 

And if his parents weren’t scary enough, Alec really didn’t want the Commander of the entire freaking Clave finding out about his not-date with Magnus. That would just serve to spark questions he was not in the mood to answer; now or ever. 

Thankfully, no one had questioned his story. 

Thankfully there was also an update on Valentine himself, which his parents and the Commander wanted to talk about more. The Clave had connected more missing persons reports back to the crime lord, dating back to further than they had originally thought. It was mainly the assailable; the street girls, homeless and miscreants but recently he had been getting bolder and taken a few women who appeared to be tourists. The Commander was confident that it was the work of a human trafficking ring, but they had assigned Simon Lewis, the tech analysis and Alec’s best friend Jace to look into it further. 

Magnus listened absently as Alec talked, flipping through his book and nodding along when appropriate. He was laying on his back with his book raised above him by his good arm, flipping through the pages and making noises of approval every so often. Though it appeared he wasn’t listening, Alec knew full well that Magnus had already gone over the new case file, probably while he was in the shower, and could repeat it back to him in a heartbeat, leaving not a single detail out. 

Pretending like he wasn’t interested just so happened to be something Magnus did. Alec had made the mistake of underestimating him too many times now, and knew better than to do it again. 

Magnus did put his book down through when Alec finished, resting it open on his stomach. He was dressed casually today, but his ‘bed rest’ outfit still looked better than anything Alec could pull together for a night out. He had on loose blue jeans and a white top, gold lacing the shoulder and neckline. His hair was much more natural than usual, plain black today and his makeup was light but still there. 

Alec had found himself getting more and more distracted by the other man. The subtle curve of his spine when he laid on his stomach, the way the light bounced off the glitter on his cheekbones, or the sliver of skin that appeared when he raised his arms over his head. 

Magnus was by nature an independent man but there were some things he couldn’t do since his injury. Putting on clothes for example, was a task that had caused him great difficulty. The first day, Alec had found him on the floor beside his bed, good arm through one sleeve while the other dangled uselessly beside him. Alec had wordlessly picked him up off the floor, gently helping him slide into his shirt, not a word spoken between them the entire interaction. Magnus had been embarrassed and Alec knew better than to push it. Now, it was something unspoken between them and each morning Alec found Magnus sitting on his bed, shirt sitting in his lap. It did something to Alec’s stomach, being needed like that by Magnus who was normally so cut and dry. Something warm; something good. 

“Did you get anything on your trip out yesterday?” Magnus turned his head so that he was facing Alec, though the rest of his body remained stationary.

Alec shook his head. “Not much, no. Spoke to a few locals and some of them said they saw Valentine, but then turned around and said they didn’t two seconds later.” To keep busy, and since he wasn’t the one on bed rest, Alec had been going out and doing reconnaissance to try and gather a little more intel on what Valentine was planning. Because as much as they knew about the malefactor, which admittedly wasn't much, they still didn’t know what his endgame was. Something that infuriated Alec to no end. 

Magnus didn’t seem to mind as much, claiming that it didn’t matter what Valentine was up to as long as they stopped him from breathing before he could accomplish it. Which - Alec guessed was a pretty good way to look at it, his curiosity just happened to be getting the best of him. 

“Are you going out again today?” Magnus asked, picking his back up but not looking at it quite yet. He had an almost regretful expression on his face, one Alec couldn’t find a place for. 

He pursed his lips. “Yeah, I have a few spots I want to check out that my sister sent by earlier today.” He winced, “I should probably call her, too. It’s been a while.” He was sure that Isabelle had heard all about the shooting by now from his parents but since both he and Magnus had gotten themselves new phones after it happened, she had no way to contact him. And frankly, between fighting off his thoughts, caring for Magnus and gathering intel, he had totally spaced on calling her as well.

Magnus waved him off, telling him to be careful and come back in a few hours, hopefully with something better than he had gotten in the past few days. Alec grabbed his hat and sunglasses, slipping them on as he walked to the door. “Whatever you say, mom. See you later!” 

He heard a loud cackle behind him and a muffled “I _knew_ you were into that!” 

Alec chuckled as he left the hostel, waving to the receptionist on his way out. She was nice, though not nearly as chatty as the one at the first place they had stayed. She gave him a reserved smile and a nod, which was better than nothing, Alec supposed. 

The streets were alive and busy with people, merchants calling out to passerbyers to sell their goods, mothers hailing their wandering children, tourists travelling in excited groups. Over the past few days, Alec had developed a deep love for the city, taking every chance he could to explore it. 

Just beyond the buildings, something he hadn’t noticed the night they were out was a towering skyline of ice-tipped mountains, standing tall and proud like a wall. They were incredibly beautiful, taking Alec’s breath away each time he saw them, no matter how many times he had seen then before that. The view was something you would see on a postcard; it was _that_ perfect. 

The sun was out and shining today, making the view of the mountains crystal clear, probably the clearest Alec had seen them yet. He raised his phone and snapped a picture, making sure he hadn’t captured any defining elements in the image, like street names of shop signs. He sent it to Isabelle with just the mountain emoji as a caption. He knew she wouldn’t be happy with him, so he hoped the picture would act as a metaphorical white flag of sorts. 

In seconds, his phone lit up with a call to which Alec answered with a grin. Lightwoods were nothing if not efficient. He was interrupted from his greeting however, by Isabelle. More specifically, a very, _very_ ticked off Isabelle. “This better be my brother, or so help me God.” 

“Hello Isabelle, it’s lovely to hear from you too.” Alec spent the next five minutes getting his ear chewed off about proper communication, protocol on checking-in and a litany of curse words about how terrible a brother he was. Alec rolled his eyes, letting her vent, only half listening as he browsed a stand selling fruit. 

When it seemed she had exhausted herself, Alec grinned, biting into his newly purchased apple. “Done?” 

“Yes, I’m done. But don’t you ever do that again, you hear me?” Her tone held much less bite than it did a few minutes prior, replaced with more of a tired understanding. She knew, and Alec knew, she wasn’t actually mad. That was just how she tended to react when she was worried. She got it from their mother, who had a similar trait of yelling at Alec when she was worried.

Alec walked to a park he stumbled on a few days ago, sitting on a swing set. The park was beautiful; luscious green trees everywhere you looked, flower gardens interspersed and fountains spewing jets of fresh water. Alec clearly wasn’t the only one who’d decided to take advantage of the nice weather, people were sprawled out on blankets or running around in the open space. Alec knew that realistically it wasn’t the smartest of ideas to be sitting so out in the open where anyone could spot him, but the view was too nice to leave. Besides, there was enough people around that he could blend in, if need be. 

“I’m sorry, Iz. I really am.” There wasn’t much more he could say without giving specifics of the mission away and he hated it. He hated keeping secrets from his sister, his best friend. Hated having to lie to her especially now that they weren’t exactly trying to be secretive. Valentine clearly knew where they were, so why couldn’t his sister?

But as much as Alec wanted to tell her, he didn’t and she didn’t press. He filled her in on the more mundane parts of the trip, the food they’ve tried and the places they’ve stayed. He slipped in stories about Magnus, jokes Magnus has told or things he’s said, conscious not to use his name. They skirted around the topic of the shooting for about half an hour, until Isabelle broke. “So, the shooting.” 

Ever the blunt one, Isabelle. 

Alec cleared his throat. “Uh, yeah. We got shot.” At her quick intake of breath, he raced to amend his sentence. “We got shot _at_. Mag - um, my partner got hit, but he’s healing and should be okay in a few days.” 

“And you?”

Alec shook his head, digging the toes of his boots into the sand below him. “Me? No, I’m fine. I - I got out of the way in time.” He could hear the guilt seeping into his voice, knowing full well that his sister could too. 

“It wasn’t your fault, big brother.” Alec let his eyes slip closed, temple resting against the chain of the swing. “You did everything that you could, and you saved your partner which is all anyone could ask for.” Alec had been trying to tell himself the exact same thing for the past week but somehow it resonated a lot clearer coming from Isabelle. 

A single, traitorous tear slipped down his cheek and he brushed it away quickly, taking a deep breath. The fresh air filled his lungs and he let it out through his nose, the action doing nothing to ease the tight knot in his stomach. “I know, I _know_ , I just can’t help but think it all could have been avoided somehow.”  
“Alec,” Izzy insisted, always patient, “- you couldn’t have avoided being shot at. You were just getting out of a car, you could never have predicted someone would be waiting to ambush you. It happens, it’s part of the job and it sucks. It fucking sucks, but it happens and you can’t beat yourself up over it.” 

Alec shook his head, emotion bubbling up in his throat. He hadn’t let himself feel, let himself really think about what happened yet and talking with Isabelle brought up emotions he didn’t want to face. Emotions he wasn’t ready to face, not yet. He swallowed thickly. “Iz, we were drinking. We went to a local bar and played darts. We walked home and were laughing about something stupid, some joke, and I was just watching him. I was caught up in the way his entire face lit up when he laughed and the light bouncing off the highlight on his cheeks.” He let out a shaking breath. “I saw the shooter stand and raise his gun in my peripheral, but I acted too late.” 

The scene played over in Alec’s mind, as clear as the night it happened. He could smell the chilled night air, feel Magnus’ warm body under his hands as he pushed him, the jolting pressure as they hit the ground. He flinched at the resounding clap of the gunshot, eyes snapping open. 

He was in the park, he was fine. Magnus was fine. Everything was okay.

Isabelle was quiet, infuriatingly so. Alec wanted to yell at her to say something, to tell their parents, tell the Commander, say _something_. It wasn’t like her to be so quiet, but Alec had dumped a lot on her, he knew. Not only had he told her the truth about the attack, but at the same time had admitted his feelings for Magnus were much stronger than they should be, stronger than the helpless crush he hoped them to be. 

Finally, she sighed. “Oh, Alec. What have you gotten yourself into, big brother?” 

Alec let his head hang, elbows rested on his knees. Breathing hurt, his chest tight. “I really care about him, Iz. And I know it’s going to affect the way I approach this mission, but it doesn’t have to be a bad thing, right?” He hated the hopefulness in his voice. The blind hope that maybe this all wasn’t going to end in disaster. 

“Alec, you know that’s not how it works. The closer you get, the more attached you become.” She paused, but then recited the single phrase that had been drilled into their heads since they could walk. “Emotions are nothing but a distraction.” Her voice was bitter, cold, but her words rang true. 

Alec needed to get whatever it was he was feeling for Magnus and lock it in the back of his mind. He needed to look at him as a client, and a client only. And when this whole thing was said and done and Valentine was dead, if he still felt the same he could open the box back up and see where it led. 

But for now it needed to stay sealed. Tightly. 

“You’re right.” He stood up, wiping his face clean of emotion with practiced ease. He was a soldier, an agent, and he slipped into that mindset like an old worn-in pair of shoes. He did not fall privy to his own emotions or that of others around him. Emotions were a sign of weakness and Alec was not weak; he was the strongest soldier in the arsenal of the Clave. And it was time he started acting like it. “Thanks for your help, Iz. I have to go but I’ll make sure to call you soon, okay?”

He could feel her hesitation through the phone, wanting to say something to him but stopping herself. Which was very unlike Isabelle, but Alec supposed he wasn’t acting much like himself either so he wasn’t really in a place to judge. He could practically see her rolling her eyes, biting her lip before she spoke, “just be careful, okay? I don’t want to answer my phone one day and hear you’ve gotten yourself killed or captured.” Her voice was hard, determined, and Alec was once again reminded at how fast his little sister had had to grow up, how fast they all had to grow up. Their industry was hard on kids, forcing them to be adults before they ever really learned how to be a child. 

Isabelle’s biggest worry shouldn’t have been wondering if she was ever going to see her brother again. She should be worrying about dating and what kind of dress she was going to wear for a date. She should be allowed to act her age, allowed to experience life without the added weight of death always hovering over her head. 

Alec swallowed, the wall he had worked so hard to put up crumbling by a few bricks. Hearing the hardness in her voice made him want to give it all up and live a normal life, a life where he could do something mundane like open a restaurant or be a kindergarten teacher and he didn’t have to worry about human trafficking, death or hitmen. Where he could fall in love without consequence and be loved in return. 

He gave himself a moment more to live in the fantasy - because that was all it was and ever could be - before once again falling into the role of hardened soldier once again. Emotions were a distraction and this mission had proved that to be true time and time again. Alec needed to get his under control. 

“I’ll be safe, Iz. I’m the best agent they’ve got, remember?” His voice dripped with confidence, but he lacked conviction. 

Isabelle must have noted on this, but said nothing. “Call me whenever, okay? Be safe, I love you.” She hung up before Alec could respond, holding the phone to his ear, dull thrum of the dial-tone echoing in his head. Sighing, he shut his phone off and slid it back into his pocket. 

He had already been away from the hostel too long; per mission criterion, a protector was not supposed to leave their client for longer than an hour, less depending on the severity. Magnus was definitely one of those clients that shouldn’t be left for long, no more than half an hour at most. Yet Alec had been gone for hours each day, a reckless action but he couldn’t stand to be in that hostel, faced daily with the consequence of his abstraction. Seeing Magnus wince when doing something simple like fixing his hair broke Alec’s heart, filling him with endless self-contempt. 

Hands shoved deep in his pockets, Alec walked the now familiar route back to the hostel. It was still early afternoon, streets still alive with people. If their luck held out, hopefully the hostel would still be empty. The other travelers were friendly and against Alec’s better judgement, Magnus had befriended a few of them, claiming he had nothing else to do with his time. They were all nice enough, grad students and teenagers getting their first taste of the world outside their own homes. They all wanted to know Magnus, to be friends with him. Of course they did, he was exotic and beautiful and told wild spun stories about his adventures around the world (leaving out the killing, obviously). 

Alec decided it was best to keep up the rouse of the two of them in a relationship, for continuity reasons. It was easier that way, especially when the two of them went into the single bathroom once a day to change Magnus’ gauze. But his “boyfriend” had gotten so popular with the group that they hardly got a second alone. And Alec really wasn’t in the mood to have to deal with other people right now. 

The door of the hostel loomed closer and all Alec wanted to do was fall face first onto his bed, sleep for a few hours and then fly home and forget any of this ever happened. Surly there would be agents lining up to take his place, it was an amazing opportunity after all. Aldertree sure seemed keen on it during the initial briefing. 

Alec pushed open the door, only things on his mind being checking on Magnus and his bed. Magnus would probably need his gauze changed, wound redressed and all the things he hadn’t been able to do himself during the day. Just the other day he had gotten Alec to -

“Mr. Lewis?” Alec’s head whipped up at the receptionists voice calling out his alias. He and Magnus had used false names so they couldn’t be tracked, Alec having taken on the identity of the Clave’s tech analyst, Simon. 

Alec gave her a tight lipped smile, trying to convey that he wasn’t in the mood for talking, but it seemed to be lost on the woman. “Mr. Lewis, do you have a moment?” Alec looked longingly to the door where he and Magnus were staying, knowing the other man was just on the other side of it. 

He approached the desk, perching his sunglasses on the crown of his head. “What’s up?” She flashed him a winning smile before ducking behind the counter. A few moments later she emerged, brown envelope in hand, holding it out to Alec. 

“Someone dropped this off for you and your boyfriend when you were out. I was going to go in, but I think he was sleeping and I didn’t want to wake him.” She gave him a sympathetic smile. “How’s the collarbone, anyway? Sounded like a nasty break he had.” Alec nodded absently, giving her a few false details about his recovery. Magnus had made the decision that prancing around announcing he had a gunshot wound might not be the smartest (or safest) idea, so he wove an elaborate story about how they had been rock climbing and a rough landing had caused a break in his collarbone. 

The envelope in his hands, Alec tried to feel it out while she chatted on, words hardly registering. He wasn’t nearly as good as Magnus and zoned out on half of what she said. Of course she chose _now_ to be chatty. 

It was a decent size but it was incredibly light, probably only a few slips of paper in it. On the front in bold calligraphy was the names he and Magnus were currently staying under. 

Politely as he could, Alec excused himself from the conversation, feigning needing to check on Magnus. He strode into the room, tucking the envelope into the back of his pants, heading straight for the back where he could see Magnus sitting up in bed. Magnus looked up from his phone, sending Alec a smile; one that immediately dropped when he saw the other man’s expression. 

There were a handful of people in the room, looking up in interest when Alec entered the room. He met Magnus’ eyes for only a moment before dipping down and giving him a kiss on the forehead. “We need to talk,” he whispered, lips brushing against the older man’s warm skin. Alec tried hard not to think about the contact for anything more than it was, just giving a message to Magnus so no one else could hear. 

Alec pulled back and Magnus sent him a warm smile, hitting Alec once again with how great of an actor he was. His smile seemed so genuine, one that someone would give their lover after they returned home after a long day. “Sweetheart, do you think you could help me to the bathroom?” Magnus asked sweetly, holding his good hand out for Alec to grasp. He looped Magnus’ good arm around his own shoulders and settled a hand around his waist, pulling him up off the bed and towards the bathroom at the end of the hall. 

The bathroom in this hostel was private, with a door that locked and a single stall with a shower and toilet. Alec ushered Maagnus inside, closing the door behind him and locking it swiftly. Magnus on the other hand, had made himself comfortable on the counter, legs swinging as he looked at Alec expectantly. “Did you get something?” 

Alec shook his head, reaching behind him and pulling the envelope from his waistband. “This was delivered to us while I was out.” The envelope looked innocent enough; brown paper, standard issue that you could get at any post office. The calligraphy was odd but wasn’t unheard of, many people still used it to address their envelopes. 

What was concerning though, was that the envelope was addressed to them. 

“The Clave knows not to send us anything by any form that’s considered insecure, so this has got to be someone third party.” Alec explained, envelope sitting on his palm. Part of him so badly wanted to open it, but they needed to make sure it was safe. 

Magnus reached out, lithe fingers gently lifting the envelope from Alec’s hand. His fingertips traveled along the edges and seams, scanning for any sign that pointed towards foul play. He held it up above his head, light creating a shadow through it. Alec watched closely, watched the way Magnus examined the paper with his eyes closed, utilizing his other senses. He wasn’t entirely sure what all he was doing, but he seemed confident and Alec trusted him. 

After a few minutes of strained silence, Magnus opened his eyes, handing the envelope back to Alec. “From what I can tell, there’s just paper inside. A few pages are thicker than others, probably cardstock or photo paper.” He shrugged. “Perhaps your sister sent you something?”

Alec shook his head. His fingernail nudged under the lip of the envelope creating a small tear, not yet pulling it open. “No, I just spoke with her today. She still knows nothing about the mission, where we are, what we’re doing. She doesn’t even know about you.” Alec flushed a little at that, but closed his eyes, reprimanding himself. There was more important things to focus on. 

He pulled a little further on the tear, slowly ripping it until Magnus made an impatient noise in the back of his throat, urging Alec to hurry. Opening it fully, Alec let the contents spill out onto the counter. He wished he had followed Magnus’ lead and sat down, for scattered beside the sink were a series of images; fear pumped through his veins and for a moment all he could hear was the erratic beating of his own heart thrumming wildly in his own ears. Images of himself and Magnus lay before him, images that clearly stated whoever sent them knew exactly where they were and what they were doing. 

The first one that caught Alec’s eye was one of the two of them in the first hostel they stayed in, reading their own novels and clearly ignoring each other. Alec felt his blood run cold, realizing that the angle in which the picture was taken could only be from someone _inside _the hostel. There were more; Alec and Magnus at the pirate bar, walking in the streets minutes before the attack, standing together in a museum, eating at a restaurant. The list went on, each picture chilling Alec more than the last. Someone had been following them for weeks, infiltrating every single security measure Alec had taken. It was like a personal attack, like they wanted Alec to know just how badly he had failed.__

____

__The last picture was by far the most haunting. It was a shot of the two of them on the back steps of the first hostel, Alec desperately pressing into Magnus’ shoulder with his weight, face contoured in anguish. Alec’s hands started to shake, unable to tear his eyes away from the photo. He squeezed his fingers into a fist. He could still feel the slick heat of Magnus’ blood on his palms, feel his weakening heartbeat as he pushed harder, harder, harder to stop the blood flow, Magnus’ soft breath hitting his cheek as he tried to talk._ _

__And just like that, Alec’s walls started to crumble again. They hadn’t yet fallen, but they were cracked, their foundation fissuring. _Emotions are nothing but a distraction_. The mission, he just needed to focus on the mission, on getting Magnus safe. Because they had been compromised and Alec’s next thought should be to get them out of there, to get them to safety._ _

__He could practically feel the bricks tumbling loose, crashing to the ground inside him and making it impossible to focus on anything else. Each time one fell, he felt his resolve cracking with it. The wall he worked so hard to build was falling, Alec desperately trying to reassemble it. _He was a soldier, dammit. He needed to get it together.___

___ _

__

__

__But soldier or not, his resolve couldn’t stand next to Magnus. He called Alec’s name and Alec took a step back as if physically pushed, because Magnus looked _scared_ , something he hadn’t seen before. In that moment, his resolve to stay away from Magnus shattered, because he wanted nothing more than to whisk him away and hide him from the world. To keep him safe. _ _

__“Alexander.”_ _

__Magnus’ voice brought him back, quieting the white noise in his head, if only for a moment. His vision blurred, in and out of focus, but he forced himself to concentrate on what Magnus was holding in his hand._ _

__Plane tickets from the envelope. Two of them._ _

__He could see the way Magnus tried to hold himself tall, but he could also see the way his hand shook, almost unnoticeable if you didn’t know where to look. His eyes bore into Alec’s and they communicated, though silently, Alec could feel the weight of it pressing on him._ _

__Because they both knew who this package was from, and they knew what needed to happen next, no matter how bad of an idea it seemed. If the pictures weren’t enough proof, the tickets were the validation Alec needed on the identity of the sender._ _

__Valentine._ _

__The last thing Alec wanted to do was follow the psychopath who was stalking them, taunting them, but he knew they didn’t have a choice. The Commander would order them to go as soon as she found out, his parents probably agreeing despite the risk._ _

__And Alec knew Magnus would want to go. Ever since his injury, he was quiet, especially when it came to Valentine. But it was clear he was angry and he was ready to grab the bull by the horns and do what he came here to do. Magnus was angry, but not in the reckless, uncontrollable way. He was angry in a way that made him lethal, dangerous. A way that made him sharper and stronger._ _

__And Alec was ready to fight by his side. He always would be, fighting beside Magnus is probably the easiest thing Alec could ever do, and he was ready, to finally end the son of a bitch that had caused him so much pain._ _

__So when Magnus shot him a grim smile, Alec returned it with one of his own._ _

__“Looks like we’re going to Budapest.”_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHH We're getting into darker territory .... What do you think Budapest will bring? Let me know in the comments or on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/insiemes) xx
> 
> Thank you to my beautiful heartbreakers for betaing this (and putting up with my writers block for weeks) I love you all endlessly. 
> 
>  
> 
> See you soon angels xo


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus and Alec arrive in Budapest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, hi, hello angels! 
> 
> I apologize greatly for the extended hiatus, but (hopefully) I am back now and will finish this story before season 5. 
> 
>  
> 
> As always, #eosfic or #insiemes if you are livetweeting 
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy! xx

_“Szeretnék fenntartást adni a legszebb szobájára. Igen. Mhmm. Tökéletes, köszönöm.”_

Magnus could feel Alec’s eyes as they bore into the side of his head, could practically feel his quizzical expression as he watched Magnus speak into the phone. He destutely ignored Alec, in favour of continuing his conversation, something that didn’t seem to deter the other man. He had no idea if Alec was fluent in Hungarian at all, but if he was, he was probably aware that Magnus had just booked them the nicest, and most expensive penthouse in Budapest on the Clave’s credit card. 

Oh well. If he didn’t know yet, he would find out soon enough. 

He hung up the phone, examining his nails for imperfections. It was hard to focus though when those strong hazel eyes were boring holes in the side of his head. When he could no longer ignore the other man, he sighed. It was apparent that either Alec wanted something or he was having a staring contest with Magnus’ cheek. It was most likely the former. Magnus fixed Alec with a look, single eyebrow raised. “Is there something I can do for you, Alexander?”

“You speak Hungarian?” was the first thing that came out of Alec’s mouth. 

Magnus smirked, twirling his cell in his fingers. If he didn’t know any better, he would say that Alexander- prodigy-of-the-Clave- Lightwood actually looked … _impressed_. “I can speak twenty-five languages fluently and can get by in about eight more.” 

Alec eyes widened, eyebrows disappearing into his hairline. A small smile played on his pink lips, growing into a full blown grin that lit up his entire face. It was a look that made Magnus want to learn more languages, just to tell Alec how pretty his smile was in every single one. 

“Impressed?” He inquired, full well knowing the answer. Though Magnus would have been offended if he wasn’t impressed; knowing thirty-three languages was incredibly impressive, if Magnus was to say so himself. It was something he was incredibly proud of. That, and his throwing arm. “And you?”

Alec, who had been fiddling with the ever present chain around his neck, looked up. “Me, what?” He had dark circles under both of his eyes that were looking more and more like bruises as the days went on, contused and harsh. Magnus knew the agent wasn’t sleeping, he knew he was still having nightmares but Alec had yet to bring it up and Magnus wasn’t going to pry on his personal life. He knew what they were like, the nightmares, and if Alec didn’t want to talk about them then neither would he. 

But it didn’t stop him from worrying about the other man. 

“How many languages do you speak, Alexander?” He asked gently, smirking. Alec scrunched up his nose, head tipped back as he counted in his mind. Magnus most definitely did not find it adorable. Not at all. Alec was a badass agent of the Clave. Definitely not adorable. 

But when his scrunched up nose wiggled, looking too similar to a baby bunny, Magnus decided that maybe he was just a little bit adorable. Only a fraction.

“Um,” Alec nodded, having settled on a number, “nine fluently. But, bits and pieces of about six more.” He shrugged. “Not nearly as impressive as yours.” To Magnus’ delight, a beautiful flush spread across his fair cheeks, tinting them a beautiful shade of rose. 

And really, who was he to deny that Alexander Lightwood was the most adorable, badass agent of the Clave?

Magnus leaned back in his seat, placing a hand on Alec’s knee. “Now darling, don’t sell yourself short. I have seen you translate beautifully in the time we have been together. Your Czech was marvelous.” The blush on his cheeks spread further, dipping down below the collar of his black shirt. Alec turned his head in an attempt to hide it, but it was impossible to miss. He mumbled out a quiet ‘thanks’, doing his very best to ignore Magnus. Magnus filed the information in the back of his mind to examine at a later date. Preferrably when he wasn’t sitting right beside Alec. 

Deciding to give Alec some space, Magnus turned his head to look out the window. Their train was just about to take off from Poprad, and Magnus couldn’t be happier to see the city in their rearview mirror. His shoulder flashed with discomfort and he adjusted himself in his seat to get comfortable. It had been a hard week for both of them, what with the attack and Valentines little gift in the mail. 

Magnus had been honest when he told the Commander in the beginning that he could have this job done in a few days. He never expected this mission to carry out as long as it had, with them no closer to killing the bastard than they had been the first day. But they had smartened up tenfold, and had gained some valuable intel on Valentine, so their efforts weren’t in vain. Magnus just hoped they could take him and his men out before anything went wrong. 

Valentine was powerful, extremely so, but not just because of the amount of guns and muscled security guards he had. He was most powerful because he had secrets, the dark secrets someone worked to keep buried, and he used them as leverage to have his accomplices as pliant in his hands as putty. Secrets were a form of currency in this world and Valentine, well - he was incredibly wealthy. He could take down single people or entire enterprises with just a few whispers in the right ear. 

Magnus happened to be one of those people, and he would rather die than be controlled or taken down by Valentine, just because of his past. Magnus would kill him before it ever came to that. 

He glanced over at Alec, once again watching the agent, something that had become a comforting habit over the past few weeks. He had become accustomed to the slight changes in his expression or posture, giving way to what he was thinking. The slight furrow in his brow and the restless tapping of his fingers on the arm rest indicated he was nervous, understandably so. 

Making the decision to follow Valentine had not been a hard one for either of them. As much as it seemed to be a trap, neither of them could deny the opportunity to be that close to him, for the chance to finally finish this. Surely Valentine had a plan, but they had one too. They were both incredibly capable of handling themselves. They had been upskilled since their early childhood years, the agent and the hitman, honed and primed for battle. Alec seemed confident that Valentine and his men would underestimate them, and they planned to use that to their advantage. 

But it didn’t make the situation they were undoubtedly heading into any less nerve-wracking. 

And so they were on their way to Budapest. Alec, being Alec, had insisted they take a bus rather than the plane tickets Valentine had booked for them, lest he had something sinister planned. Magnus had had to agree. He wouldn’t put it past the crime lord to take down an entire plane of civilians just to kill him and Alec. Besides, it only took a few extra hours by ground transportation, giving them a little more time to prepare for whatever was waiting for them when they arrived. 

So, less than twelve hours after they had received the envelope, they were packed and on a shuttle bus headed to Budapest. Headed to Valentine. 

Less than an hour into the ride, Alec seemed to have drifted off into a restless sleep beside him. He was curled into himself, using his own shoulder as a pillow, neck crooked at an awkward, and no doubt uncomfortable, angle. As gently as he could, Magnus slipped the travel pillow they had been provided under his head and spread his jacket over Alec’s shoulders. It had been far too long since the younger man had slept, and a few hours would be better than nothing. Lord knows he needed it. 

The agent had been working himself to the bone to keep them safe - to keep Magnus safe - and Magnus was incredibly grateful, but everyone had their breaking point, and he feared Alec was closing in on his. For the past week at the hostel, Alec had been sitting guard at the foot of his own bed, unaware Magnus was awake or watching him. Alec was a protector; it was his job, but it was also in his blood. Magnus had been forced to throw what prior conceptions he had about the Lightwoods out the window when he met Alec, for he was nothing like any other he had ever had the misfortune of meeting. Alec was honest and good, as opposed to conniving and immoral, and he did everything he could to protect those under his care. He would blow up the ground he stood on to make something right, uncaring if he got caught in the blast. His angered outbursts first confused Magnus, but it quickly had become apparent that he lashed out when he was worried. It was a sign that he cared. 

And so he had stopped pushing Alec’s buttons so hard, stopped purposely trying to get a rise out of him. After seeing Alec so willingly risk his life for him that night, seeing him quite literally jump in the line of fire for Magnus’ safety, it had been impossible to see him fit in the authoritative, rule-abiding, clone copy mould he had deemed for the rest of the Lightwood family. 

Magnus watched him a moment more, eyes raving over his profile. He looked softer in sleep, warmer, innocent and young. His usual stoic features softened and he looked much like someone his age should, untouched by violence, hitmen, murder and crime. Someone who didn’t know twenty ways to kill a man with his bare hands, or could disassemble and reassemble a semiautomatic rifle in seconds. Magnus allowed himself time to mourn the life that Alec could have had, lest he had different blood running through his veins. A life where Alec could’ve had a normal job, a house and a pet cat. Where his biggest worries would be paying the bills and where he was going to take his husband for their anniversary. 

Smiling sadly, Magnus turned his head away and slid on his headphones, getting comfortable. Thinking about what they could have would do nothing to help them, not now. 

They needed to get prepared and think about what was coming. 

 

***

 

Magnus was pleasantly surprised to find that the best penthouse in Budapest most definitely lived up to its name. The moment they stepped through the door, the place screamed extravagance and luxury. All five - _five_ \- rooms were fully furnished with ornate pieces, couches and settees, polished mahogany tables and marble floors. The entire back wall was entirely floor to ceiling windows, lights from the city shining through. Art and collectables adorned all available surfaces, pieces that looked more expensive than even Magnus himself could afford. There were two spacious bedrooms, one master bathroom with a tub that looked big enough to fit the entire Clave, a beautiful living room and a fully stocked kitchen. Each bedroom came equipped with its own king size bed, walk-in closet and fireplace, in addition to doors that led to an adjoining balcony between them that overlooked the city. 

And if the room itself wasn’t satisfying enough, the reaction it got from Alec was well worth the atrocious amount of money Magnus had spent in booking it. Or, the atrocious amount of money the _Clave_ had spent in booking it.

“Magnus … what … uh.” His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, looking around the room with eyes bugged out wide. His bag had fallen from his fingers to the floor beside him as soon as they stepped through the doorway, falling with a soft thud as he did a slow turn, taking the whole thing in. 

Magnus grinned, stepping into the middle of the room with his arms spread wide as if he was a conductor presenting his his orchestra. “I thought since we weren’t playing hide and seek anymore, we might as well make use of this beautiful little black credit card, hm?” He held the card in question between his fingers, devilish smirk in place as he waved it in front of Alec. Alec’s eyes dragged across the room and towards the card, sluggishly as if being pulled through molasses. Once his eyes locked on the credit card though, they grew impossibly wider, mouth dropping open once more. 

Magnus worried for a moment that he may have overstepped, that he had finally crossed a line that they wouldn’t be able to come back from. All things considered, Alec had been incredibly lenient with him when it came to rules. While they both knew Alec was technically in charge, the agent had yet to display that authority in a serious way. But a part of Magnus wondered how far that leniency would go, and if he had possibly stretched it beyond its capacity. 

But a moment later, a small mischievous smile grew on Alec’s pretty features, lips stretching into a playful smirk. Magnus grinned back, laugh bubbling in his chest. 

He watched as Alec sauntered over to the bed, flopping down onto it face-first, letting out a loud, muffled laugh. Magnus watched after him, grin only growing. It was nice seeing Alec like this. Happy, relaxed, not weighed down by procedures, protocol or the stress of the mission. Magnus thought back to the train, of the life Alec could have had, and couldn’t help thinking how nice it would be to be a part of that, in another world. To take Alec to exotic places and spoil him rotten with fancy hotel rooms, overpriced food and anything else he desired. 

It was obvious from his reaction that Alec often didn’t get spoiled, which was a shame Magnus decided, because he looked exquisite, spread out on the expensive sheets with a pure, carefree smile on his face. 

Magnus derailed that train of thought though, before it went any further. It would do no one any good for him to imagine Alec spread out on sheets, when in the same room as the man in question. 

Alec’s happy sigh brought him out of his reverie. “It’s about time we took advantage of the seemingly unlimited bank account of the Clave.” He muttered. “They owe us a whole lot more than a fancy hotel room.” 

“You’re right, darling. They do. But, we’ll start with the hotel room.” Magnus laughed, flopping down on the bed beside Alec. It was big enough that both of them could lay side by side comfortably with room to spare in between. 

He turned his head, startled to find Alec already looking at him. The light streamed in through the balcony doors, illuminating Alec from behind, making Magnus’ breath catch in his throat. He looked ethereal, soft afternoon light warming his features, painting them in a gentle light. His hair was fluffy and mussed, falling in his eyes but Alec made no move to fix it. Magnus so badly wanted to reach out, brush the strand away from his forehead, letting his fingers trail along the no doubt soft skin of his cheek. His fingers practically sizzled with the need to reach out, to touch. 

It amazed Magnus to no end that a man trained for battle, to fight, to hurt, to _kill_ , could appear to be so soft, so gentle, delicate. How Alec could take down a team of men in seconds, ending their lives, and turn around seconds later, completely changed, and tend to Magnus’ wounds with tender touches and soft spoken words. How one minute he was a trained, deadly agent of the Clave and the next he was just… Alec. 

He was hard but soft, fierce yet steady. He was beautiful. He was deadly. 

He was an angel of death. 

The corner of Alec’s lips tipped up into a tentative smile. He had been doing that, smiling, more often; Magnus could hardly remember a time when he didn’t work to make it appear, teasing and coaxing out first, a small upturn of lips and then, a full on grin. His smile was addictive and contagious. 

And it was in that moment, or maybe it was a rush of things finally catching up with him, or just the way Alec looked bathed in the light, that Magnus realized he was falling for Alec, hard and fast. He realized when it was too late, when he was already mid-fall, like he had jumped out of the plane, only to remember halfway down that he didn’t have a parachute and was free falling. Looking at Alec, laying on a random bed, side by side in yet another country, staring into those deep hazel eyes, Magnus really hoped there would be a net at the bottom to catch him. 

“Hey.” Alec whispered, voice deep and rough. “You okay?” 

Magnus nodded, turning away from him to look at the ceiling. He could feel Alec’s gaze, strong and sure, but he couldn’t meet it. Not now. The intensity of his stare was too much, too strong, melting the cold exterior Magnus prided himself for with ease. Like it was nothing. 

Magnus sat up abruptly, jumping off the bed and walking to the main room. He could feel Alec’s eyes as they followed him, but ignored the strong desire to turn around and meet his gaze. He knew what he would find; Alec watching him closely, kind concern etched into his features and probably a hint of pity, and that wasn’t what he needed right now. 

“You hungry?” He asked instead, keeping his back to Alec. 

The agent cleared his throat from the bed and Magnus heard the rustling sound of him getting up and moving out into the common area. He busied himself with looking around the kitchen for the room service menu, opening drawers and cabinets, decidedly ignoring Alec. It wasn’t until he felt the heat of Alec’s body, so close to his own back as he reached around Magnus, that he realized the menu had been sitting on the counter in front of him the entire time. Alec had moved behind him, reaching around Magnus, almost like an embrace, to pass it to him. His fingers brushed Alec’s when he took the piece of paper, skin warm and electric against his own. “Thanks.” He murmured breathily, gently grabbing the menu from the agent. He didn’t turn around and Alec didn’t make an effort to move, his warmth seeping into Magnus yet at the same time, not close enough.

“You’re welcome.” Alec whispered back, voice dipped low, coming out rough in a way that made Magnus suppress a shiver. Magnus had to physically fight the pull to turn on the spot and throw himself into Alec’s arms, kissing him hard and deep. In this moment kissing Alec, or doing anything other than moving away, would mess things up. He was sure of it.

Yet, as much as he willed himself away, he found it very hard to find anything at all wrong with the idea.

Magnus allowed himself another two breaths in proximity to Alec, memorizing the way his breath puffed softy against the back of his neck, the way he smelled – like his generic body wash and something else that was distinctly Alec - before stepping to the side and putting a safe amount of distance between the two of them. He felt the loss immediately, wanting nothing more than to step back into his space, step closer than before and feel the burning heat of Alec’s body so close to his own once again.

Instead, he held the menu up and scanned it, barely reading the words. He decided on something random, choosing the first thing he saw before sliding the menu across the counter towards Alec, not wanting to risk the closeness again. Magnus usually prided himself with a willpower of steel, but something about Alec made that change. 

Something about Alec made him weak.

“I’m going to lay down for a bit. You can just put my food in the fridge” He called out, not even looking for Alec’s reaction before he retreated to the bedroom opposite the one they were in previously and closed the door. Finally in solitude, Magnus leaned back against the wooden door, head falling back with a dull thud.

His heart beat erratically in his chest, out of sync and strong, thudding almost painfully. His palms were sweating and he felt slightly nauseous, throat dry and parched.

Magnus slid down to the ground, head dropping in his hands.

He had never experienced any relationship more than a one night stand, something to fill the need, but he had a sinking feeling these were the symptoms of catching feelings, of a word he had never associated with another and didn’t dare even think. Never before had he felt the need for a companion, someone to spend more than a night with but here he was imagining a life with Alec. Imagining a life with an agent of the Clave - with a _Lightwood_. 

He needed to stop this… this whatever it was before it got worse. Alec was his co-worker and nothing else, and he needed to remain that way. As soon as feelings were involved, it would put both of them in jeopardy and that was assuming that Alec was the same in what Magnus was feeling. 

Magnus groaned, throwing himself onto the bed and covering his face with a pillow. It wasn’t long until his exhaustion caught up with him though and his mind blissfully shut off and he finally succumbed to sleep. 

 

***

 

Alec paced outside Magnus’ closed door, reached for the knob before retracting his hand and resumed his pacing. 

It had been a few hours since Magnus disappeared inside and Alec hadn’t been able to think about anything else since. The food had come and he ate alone at the table, Magnus’ plate tucked away in the fridge in a paper bag. He set up the alarms and surveillance equipment around the apartment so that he would be immediately notified if there was even a slight shift in the temperature. He was taking no chances with their safety - with Magnus’ safety - especially with Valentine so close and no doubt honing in on them. 

Once he was sure the hotel room was secure, Alec had been at a loss for what to do. He was filled with an impenetrable ball of nervous energy, bouncing inside of him and making him jittery and restless. Part of it was due to the fact that they were so close to Valentine, but there was nothing for him to do in that moment. He knew it would be stupid and risky to leave the hotel room right now but he felt like he needed to do something other than sit around and wait for danger to find them. 

Frustrated, Alec dropped to the floor and started a set of push-ups, quickly transitioning to sit-ups and then back again. The familiar burn of working out was calming, sweat dripping down his back as he worked his muscles harder and harder, the burn making his nerves obsolete for a few minutes. Alec’s usual method of destressing was training with Jace, but it had been almost two months since he had seen his brother. Jace and Clary, another agent of the Clave and Alec’s good friend, were off on a mission in Prague and it had been hard to get into contact with them on a good day. But Alec wished his brother were here with him, to help him sort out his head at the very least.

Because while pushing his body to the limit could help burn off the physical energy, it did nothing to shut off his mind. No amount of push ups could erase the way Magnus’ body had felt so close to his own, the shudder that ran through Magnus when Alec spoke in his ear. Try as he might, he couldn’t forget the sound of his laugh, or the way he had made Alec more comfortable on the train when he had thought him to be sleeping. What he had thought just to be simple attraction had blossomed into a raging fire that was getting harder for him to keep from spreading. It started as a small flame but the heat was growing, fire licking out and touching every part of him and it was all Alec could do to keep it from burning him. 

Alec fell back onto his back, carpet sticking to his sweaty skin. He listened as his heartbeat slowed from it’s rapid pace, breath evening out until all was quiet. He closed his eyes, letting out a long breath. Magnus was - well, he was amazing and beautiful and strong. But he was Alec’s client and he needed to focus on that, if nothing else. 

He pulled himself up, wiping the sweat from his face with his discarded tshirt and poured himself a glass of water from the kitchen. In the fridge was the food Magnus had ordered, still sitting exactly where he had left it hours ago. Alec glanced at the closed door of Magnus’ bedroom, back to the plate, then back to the door. It didn’t take him long to make the decision to pull it out and heat it up and before he knew any better, he was back outside Magnus’ door. 

Creaking it open, Alec blinked a few times to let his eyes adjust to the dark. He could just make out the hitman’s sleeping form on the bed, surrounded by pillows and blankets. Alec fought down the urge to smile, butterflies jumping in his stomach at the thought of Magnus all cocooned in bed. 

His plan was just to set the plate of food on the bedside table for when Magnus woke, but once he was in the room he couldn’t seem to drag himself to leave. The light of the moon streamed in, lighting up a strip of Magnus’ golden skin, eyes closed peacefully in sleep. Alec swallowed thickly, pushing back the anxieties of losing him - of almost losing him again. 

Alec knew that he wouldn’t be able to leave now, not with a psychotic killer on their tail, one who was incredibly verse in the art of deception and kidnapping. How could he even think of leaving Magnus alone when there was a chance that Valentine’s minions could sneak in and whisk him away at any moment, right from under Alec’s nose? 

Setting the plate of food on the bedside table, Alec sunk down into the chair across the room, preparing himself for a long night. 

It was a little over an hour later that Magnus woke. Alec had been cleaning his gun purely to keep himself awake when he heard the shift in the covers, the change in Magnus’ breathing signaling he was awake. He panicked for a moment, wondering if the other man would think it was creepy for him to be sitting here, watching him. 

But when Magnus blearily sat up and caught sight of Alec, he let out a long sigh, mouth slightly upturned. “Alexander, darling, don’t you know it’s rude to watch another gentleman sleep? Especially if you aren’t going to at least offer to share the bed with him.” Alec chuckled, but it sounded hollow even to his own ears. Magnus sat up a little straighter, sheets pooling around his hips. He was, thankfully, fully clothed. “Alec… what’s wrong?” 

The fact that Magnus hadn’t spoke his full name didn’t pass Alec’s notice. He shook his head, putting the last piece of his gun in place and sliding it back into the holster on his thigh. “Nothing. I just don’t trust the world enough to leave you alone right now. Valentine knows where we are, I’m sure of it.” 

He walked over to the balcony, opening the doors and stepping out. The air was warm on his skin, a slight breeze making the hair stand up on his head. The city was alive below him for the time of night, Budapest thriving with movement and sound despite the late hour. He heard Magnus’ footsteps behind him, the click of the balcony doors as they opened and shut signalling the other man's presence. 

Alec rested his forearms on the railing of the balcony, gaze fixed straight ahead, not exactly looking at anything but rather, trying not to look at Magnus. His usual stone-cold willpower was reduced to tissue though and as Magnus sidled up beside him, he couldn’t help the glance he stole. It was as if his eyes were glued to Magnus by magnetic force, always following him, being pulled along by his grace. He had put on one of the silk robes that he was always so fond of, tied loosely at the waist. He, like Alec, was also gazing out upon the city. 

“You need to sleep.” It was a simple statement, straightforward and direct, and maybe that's why it sounded so odd coming from Magnus’ mouth. His words were usually eloquent, winding and elusive, weaving in and out of each other as if in dance. Magnus was anything but straight to the point. 

Alec opened his mouth and an objection rolled off his tongue before he even had a chance to think about it. “I’m fine.” 

Magnus chuckled, but it lacked any trace of humour. “Alec, that statement has completely lost its meaning for how many times you have used it recently.” Another denial was ready and waiting to slip out, but when he looked down and saw Magnus, it died completely. How could Alec lie straight to his face when the other man was looking at him with such open honesty, concern and care? Magnus hadn’t always been the most open with what he was thinking, but since day one he had been nothing but honest with Alec. 

And recently, Alec had been anything but honest with him. 

“I’ve been trained for this; long nights, stakeouts, running on little sleep. I’ve done it before, countless times.” He was frustrated and it was soaking through his words, lacing them with anger and aggression. His fingers found purchase in the strands of his hair, already messed from lack of sleep. “I should be able to do this.” 

Magnus’ hand, suddenly on his shoulder, provided a solid, warm pressure. Alec immediately felt a sense of grounding, the tension seeping out of him slowly as if Magnus’ touch was a cure, pulling the infection from the wound. His voice was soft when he spoke, but sure. “I’m not telling you that you can’t do this. I’m just saying that even you, the great Alexander Lightwood, have a breaking point. If you continue like this, you’re going to crack, darling.” 

Alec was surprised to find dampness filling his eyes, unshed tears pooling so much so that he had to blink them back. Overcome with emotion, he turned his back to Magnus, doing his best to compose himself. Gods, Alec was supposed to be the leader here, the protector. He was supposed to be the one staying strong in the face of danger, yet here he was, crying his eyes out in front of his client. In front of Magnus. He scrubbed at his eyes, willing the tears back. 

Magnus didn’t touch him this time, but Alec could feel him step close, providing a sense of comfort all the same. “Alexander… I need you to listen to me, and actually hear what I’m saying. This job, this life, is dangerous and I was fully aware of what I was getting myself into. I’ve been hurt before, and I guarantee I will get hurt again. What happened in Poprad wasn’t your fault.”

Alec closed his eyes, dropping his chin to his chest and letting out the breath he hadn’t been aware he was holding. Magnus knew, somehow, what Alec had been thinking. What Alec hadn’t stopped thinking about for weeks. He knew that Alec still blamed himself for that night and that it had been all he thought about - waking or sleeping - for the past few weeks. “Magnus, it’s fine.” Alec choked the words out, voice raspy and weak. He needed to get away, he couldn’t break down like this, not now. 

He made it towards the balcony doors but Magnus caught his bicep, pulling him back and turning him around. Alec tried to fight it - fight him - but he knew he wouldn’t get far. “No. And if you say you’re fine one more time I’m going to twist you into a human pretzel and show you just how not fine it will be.” Alec raised his eyebrows, ghost of a smirk on his face, but Magnus remained serious. “You need to stop blaming yourself. I’m serious. I was bound to get hurt one time or another - this mission isn’t exactly a cake walk.” 

Alec shook his head. “You wouldn’t have gotten hurt if I had been doing my job properly.” He looked out over the city, unable to meet Magnus’ eyes. He worried what the other man would see in his own; Alec had never been good at hiding his emotions and Isabelle often told him his eyes were always his dead giveaway. 

Magnus’ grip tightening on his wrist brought his attention back. He became distracted by the sight of Magnus’ skin wrapped around his own. His fingers, ring clad and tan, wrapped around Alec’s pale wrist. He followed the line up Magnus’ arm, over his chest, shoulders and neck until he set his gaze once again on his eyes. 

To Alec’s surprise, the other man looked mad. “There was nothing you could have done! Those men surprised me just as they did you, and if you hadn’t noticed them before I did, I would have gotten much worse than a bullet to the shoulder. I would be _dead_ , Alexander.” 

Alec visibly flinched at Magnus’ words, the emphasis hitting him right in the gut like a punch. Because as much as he had been thinking the same words for the past few weeks, hearing them out loud hurt much more. “I… was distracted. I should have been paying attention.”

Magnus sighed. “What do you mean?”

Alec’s tongue felt heavy in his mouth and he was pretty sure the room was spinning. If he was in a room, that was. He was outside but he felt as if there were walls closing in on him, but he didn’t care. He didn’t care about anything anymore. Because Magnus had almost died and it had been Alec’s fault, but he was also here and alive and breathing and that too, was because of Alec. He couldn’t stand lying to Magnus, not when life had proven to them time and time again how fleeting it was. 

And so the next breath he let out, he didn’t think about what he was doing - or saying - and told Magnus how he felt. “I was focused on you, and not on our surroundings. I was too caught up in what I thought was a silly little crush that I didn’t notice the tail.” Magnus, to his credit, didn’t look all that surprised. Or maybe he was just better at hiding his emotions than Alec was. Probably the second option. 

“You have a crush on me?” 

Alec shook his head, laughing humorlessly despite himself and pulled his arm from Magnus’ now limp grip. He left the other man standing where he was and walked over to the balcony. He leaned against the railing, dropping his head into his hands. “No Magnus, I don’t have a crush on you. I’m pretty sure I’m falling for you but what happened in Poprad is exactly why nothing can happen.” 

It was quiet, the only sounds being the soft blowing breeze and Alec’s own harsh breathing. He kept his head down, embarrassment seeping in to replace the flash of bravery he had felt moments before. What had he just done? It was clear that Magnus didn’t feel the same and now Alec had gone and done quite possibly the most unprofessional thing he could have done. There was no way that Magnus could ever take him seriously now. Oh gods, what if his father found out? Or the Commander? Alec would surely be banned from the Clave in a second. 

Just when Alec was contemplating whether or not he should fling himself off the balcony in embarrassment, Magnus cleared his throat. “Well, it seems that I have been proven wrong, once again, by you, Alexander.” Removing his head from his hands, Alec looked up to meet Magnus’ eyes in confusion. Magnus took a step forward, removing some of the distance between them. “I knew the first second I met you that you were going to be an object that I craved but could never have. As I got to know you, I realized you were much more than that but still just as unattainable.” He shrugged, unaware of the erratic pounding of Alec’s heart. “Just tonight, I had to remind myself what I was to you. But you’ve proved me wrong.” 

Alec could hardly catch his breath. What it sounded like was that Magnus was saying he’d had the same feelings that Alec himself had, but had tried to convince himself out of it. Alec stared at the man in front of him, doing a quick reality check to make sure he was awake. 

He still hadn’t uttered a single word, but Magnus didn’t seem to mind all that much. He watched Alec with calculating eyes as he stepped closer, and closer again until there was almost no space between them. “Alexander… what am I to you?” 

Alec’s body moved without his control, as if he was experiencing everything through a lens; hand moving to cup Magnus’ cheek, thumb stroking his cheekbone, eyes taking in everything. It was almost too much: Magnus’ eyes staring heavily into his own, the smell of him, the feel of his skin under Alec’s fingertips and his warm breath hitting his face. He didn’t realize how much he had wanted this, craved this, until he had it. 

But that was the problem. As much as he wanted to, as much as in that moment he felt like he needed to, he couldn’t have it. 

Alec took a step sideways around Magnus, putting distance between them once more. He took a second to collect himself, ensuring that his words weren’t slick with emotion. “Magnus, you’re… more than I expected. What I feel for you scares me more than anything I’ve ever known but -” he let out a long breath, “but the mission. We need to keep our heads on straight. I know that if we - we give into these feelings that they’ll only get stronger and I can’t do that to you. I can’t put you in danger just for my own selfishness.” 

Magnus dropped his hands, fingers rubbing together nervously as he nodded. There was clear disappointment in his expression, brow creased and lips pursed. Alec knew they were making the right decision, but in that moment, it really didn’t feel like it. 

Magnus shook his head, as if physically dislodging the thoughts inside, and sent Alec a genuine smile. “You don’t have to explain yourself, I understand.” He once again took a step forward to close the distance, but was respectful of the space Alec had tried to create. “You’ve always been a man of honour, so this decision doesn’t surprise me in the least.” 

Hand going to the back of his neck, Alec rubbed the skin nervously. Because the truth was out now and Alec had been delighted to hear that Magnus felt the same, but regardless of this fact, nothing was going to change. They would continue to work together, move past this as if nothing had changed and that was that. 

Magnus sent him a tentative smile. “I always knew I was a catch, but to have a Lightwood fall for me? I must really be something else.” He was trying to ease the pressure and it had the desired effect because Alec snorted, muffling his laugh with his hand. 

“A hitman falling for an agent of the Clave? What kind of star-crossed lovers bullshit is that?” Alec fired back. 

They spent the rest of the night joking and teasing, conversation fading from one subject onto another seamlessly. When it got too chilly on the balcony they moved into Magnus’ bedroom, sitting against the headboard, neither of them wanting to admit how tired they really were. 

And it wasn’t until the next morning, when Alec woke to light streaming in through the balcony doors and a warm body wrapped around his own, did he realize that he stayed the night. Magnus’ head was pillowed on his chest, Alec’s arms tight around his body and Alec would be lying if he said he hadn’t been dreaming about this moment for weeks. He knew things were going to change when they woke up; they would go back to being Magnus Bane, trained hitman and Alec Lightwood, agent of the Clave, instead of just Magnus and Alec. 

But the world had plans for them, and those plans clearly didn’t include savouring the moment because the quiet of the room was pierced with the loud tring of Alec’s burner phone. He disentangled himself from Magnus as gently as he could but the other man still woke, rubbing his eyes groggily. 

“Hello?’

“Agent Lightwood. You are twenty four hours past the time your last mission report was due.” 

Alec shot straight up in bed, sending an apologetic glance over his shoulder at Magnus who groaned at the sudden movement. “Commander Penhallow. I wasn’t expecting your call, ma’am.” At the mention of the Commander, Magnus too, perked up. 

“Yes, clearly. How is the mission going, agent? You have extended your timeline greatly.” Alec swallowed thickly, mind racing. Surely the Commander was calling just for a mission report, and not because he had spent the night with Magnus? He had done a thorough bug sweep, but with the Clave you could never be too sure. 

As methodically as he could, Alec gave her the details of the mission. He gave her as many details as he could, ignoring Magnus’ curious glance. When he finished he held his breath, waiting for the moment the other shoe would drop and she’d ask him the question he was dreading her asking. 

But Alec was surprised again for what seemed like the hundredth time in the past day. “Agent Lightwood, while we all admire your work here at the Clave, we feel as if this mission has dragged on for far too long. We will be sending agents to your location immediately to assist in the eradication of Valentine Morgenstern.” 

“No!” Alec objected, hand clapping over his mouth as soon as the word slipped out. “Pardon me, ma’am, I apologize but I assure you myself and Magnus Bane have everything under control. Our setbacks will not affect this mission moving forward.” Magnus, who had sat up so he was sitting beside Alec, locked eyes with him. “We are very capable of completing this mission.” They shared a nod, a nod that said they both knew what needed to be done. 

The Commander was quiet on the other end of the line, so quiet that Alec worried the connection had been lost. When it got to the point where Alec was going to hang up, she spoke. “One week. You have seven days to complete this mission, Lightwood, and then I want you and Bane back in New York to debrief.” 

“One week?” Magnus, who was still looking at Alec, gave a single nod. “Valentine Morgenstern will be eradicated within the week, ma’am.” Alec finished the conversation quickly, assuring her it would be done before hanging up the phone.

The room seemed more silent than before. One week until this mission was over. One week until they were back in New York and back to their regular lives. One week until they were no longer working together. 

Alec didn’t have a clue what any of that meant, but they had seven days to figure it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think? Our boys only have one week left and then ... well, who knows?
> 
>  
> 
> Let me know on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/insiemes)
> 
>  
> 
> See you soon angels x


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus and Alec finally get some information on Valentine's plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! 
> 
> This chapter gets a little gritty so beware of some warnings:  
>  **Graphic depictions of torture**  
>  **Blood and torture**
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>  
> 
> With that note ... happy reading! If you're tweeting tag #eosfic so I can see them! x

Seven days. 

168 hours. 10080 minutes. 604800 seconds. 

Seven days. That was all the time left they had to complete a task that Magnus had foolishly assumed would take them a few days at most. He had expected the mission to be a quick in and out - pun intended - Valentine with a bullet in his head and landing back in New York before the body even had time to cool. 

Yet, here they were nearly a month later, no closer to catching the filthy bastard than they had been the day they set out on this wild goose chase; the pressure was officially on and Magnus was certainly feeling the heat. After his conversation with the Commander, Alec had quickly filled him in on their expedited timeline and the repercussions that would be involved if they weren’t to complete the mission on time. The threat of a hoard of Clave officials was enough to motivate Magnus, but the Commander had informed them that Alec’s parents would be joining the team, should they fail. 

And the threat of a visit from Robert and Maryse in itself was enough to give Magnus all the drive he needed to complete this mission in the week’s limit. 

In addition, there was the aftermath of their conversation from the night before and the fact that they had woken in the morning wrapped up in eachother like a pair of lovers. Not that Magnus was complaining - of course he wasn’t, he had been wanting to get up close and personal with Alec since day one - but getting closer had side it’s effects, specifically causing both of them to become awkward and bumbling teenagers around each other as they stumbled around the room that morning trying to get dressed. In all the time he’d known him, he hadn’t ever heard Alec stutter but trying to decide who would use the shower first had been an almost painful conversation. 

So there was understandably a little bit of tension and a whole lot of stress but they were making it work, just like they always did. 

Alec, being Alec, had insisted they get started right away and Magnus couldn’t have agreed more. Not even five minutes after Alec ended his call, Magnus had dialed the number for his best friend slash first-rate informant slash drinking partner slash wealth of information, Ragnor Fell (codename, Little Cabbage). Magnus let Alec listen in on the call but decided it best to keep Ragnor’s identity a secret, at least for now. It wasn’t as though he didn’t trust Alec (he found himself trusting the agent with larger parts of himself as the days wore on). No, it was just that he didn’t trust the people Alec worked for; he clearly remembered Alec making reference to the fact that the Clave could follow his trips to the washroom if they so desired, and he wasn't particularly eager to find out the truth in that statement. Some things needed to be kept from the Clave and unfortunately, that included Alec. 

Nonetheless, the call had been enlightening and Ragnor had provided them with quite a bit of information; specifically, the names of the henchmen currently stationed in Budapest and the most likely locations they would be this afternoon. Magnus had no idea where his friend got this information, but he was incredibly grateful for whatever sleazy sources Ragnor utilized to his advantages to help them out. 

Ragnor’s tip led them to a coffee shop just down the road from their hotel, the [Espresso Embassy](BUDAPEST_ESPRESSOEMBASSY_01.jpg). Magnus, fitted with an earpiece, strode through the doors of the shop, eyes doing a quick sweep of the room. The ceiling was designed with beautiful brick archways, underlit in a way that made them appear deeper than they were. Tables with metal chairs littered the open space, commuters, locals and tourists filling their seats. There was a bar in the middle of the room, barista behind the counter fixing drinks for the customers. 

More importantly (well, Alec would probably deem it more important. Magnus quite liked the ceilings), he had no trouble in spotting their target. Valentine’s goon was far too easy to spot, easy enough that Magnus let out a chuckle at how much the man stood out in the crowd. He was broad shouldered and had his back to Magnus, sitting at the bar and nursing an espresso. There was a thick white bandage wrapped around his left wrist, no doubt from sort sort of injury he sustained doing goon-related things, whatever goon’s did nowadays. He was wearing typical goon attire as well, black pants, black leather jacket and dark sunglasses. 

“What?” Alec’s voice asked at Magnus’ chuckle, concern lacing his tone. They had decided it best that Magnus go in alone as they were only dealing with one man, Alec waiting out front so he could keep an eye on him when he was inside. The plan was simple - get the goon outside, interrogate him in a second location for information and then … well, they hadn’t really agreed on the last part so it was a little up in the air. Magnus had suggested killing the creep as he would no doubt know their faces and would surely go back to his boss, putting them and the success of the mission at risk. Alec was incredibly and adorably opposed to killing and suggested instead they knock him out and put him on a bus to some unknown city. 

They had yet to reach a decision and in the end had decided to ‘wing it’. 

“Nothing, darling.” Magnus whispered. “Now stop talking or I’m going to look crazy.” Alec huffed on the other end of the com but stayed silent. 

So focused on the target, Magnus hardly noticed when he bumped into a taller man with dark hair carrying a cappuccino, almost knocking him over. The man didn’t appear to be perturbed though, so Magnus muttered out an apology before swiftly moving past him. 

Casually, Magnus approached the henchman, sliding in beside him. The man hardly looked up from his coffee so Magnus took the time to assess him a little closer. He was your typical thug - square, boxy face, permanent scowl, all black clothing and oversized muscles. Scars littered his face, above his eyebrow, on his lip and jaw, evidence no doubt of working for Valentine. He wasn’t exactly known for his employee satisfaction, after all. 

Magnus sidled up closer, moving his stool so he was pressed right next to the man. He did look up this time, sour expression meeting Magnus’. “I couldn’t help but notice those beautiful eyes of yours from across the shop,” he purred. “I just couldn’t resist coming up and introducing myself.” He sent the man his most dashing grin, throwing in a wink for good measure. “My name is Robert. And you are?”

Alec snorted in his ear at the mention of his father’s name but kept his mouth shut otherwise, which was good because Magnus was having a hard enough time not breaking character as it was. 

The henchman let out a low grunt, muttering out the name Clive briskly. Magnus’ grin widened. “Well, Clive, it is my great _pleasure_ to meet you.” He rest his hand on the man’s shoulder, surprised when he didn’t get shoved off. He winked. “And what a great pleasure it is.”

“Magnus,” Alec grunted lowly. “Stop wasting time.” 

Ignoring him, Magnus launched into conversation with the henchman who surprisingly, had things to say. He was by no means an expert conversationalist and his words mostly consisted of grunts and rudimentary words, but it was a conversation no less. Magnus was bored with the chat far before it even started, but he quickly found another game that he found much more enjoyable. 

“Oh my, your biceps are so big!” He squeezed the thick piece of flesh for emphasis. “You must work out a lot.” His voice took a sultry lilt and he leaned in closer, dropping a few octaves as he did. The man’s eyes widened, but he didn’t pull back. 

It was with great satisfaction that he heard Alec clear his throat loudly, grumbling something intelligible on the com. Magnus bit his lip to hide his grin. Clearly he would have to try a little harder to get a reaction from him. He knew Alec could see him from his vantage point so he leaned in closer yet, trailing his fingers down the goon’s arm. “Maybe you can show me some of your moves sometime?” 

“Laying it on a little thick, aren’t you?” Alec’s terse voice was in his ear immediately, bitter and as Magnus hoped, jealous. Yes, this game was much more interesting than the bland stories that had been spewing from Clive’s mouth. He almost slipped and grinned in victory. He chanced a brief look over his shoulder and saw Alec poised on the lip of a garden bed, arms crossed over his chest and doing an incredibly poor job of keeping his eyes off Magnus and their target. He knew that Alec knew better, but it seemed his emotions had gotten the best of him and he was having trouble keeping them in check, in the process forgetting everything he had learnt about surveillance. Magnus’ stomach did a little swoop, warmth flooding him. 

Magnus turned his attention back to the man he was supposed to be coercing. He seemed to be many shades of conflicted, as well as all shades of red, unsure of how to respond to Magnus’ blatant advances. He had this man swimming in front of his hook, close enough to take a bite yet still wary. He needed one final pull, one final line to sink the hook into his lip. 

Magnus stood up, gracefully twirling on his heel so he was standing in front of the man. He extended a single hand towards him, flashing a coy smile and wiggling his fingers. “Fancy a walk?” He was more than a little surprised to see the man follow him, but if he had to guess he assumed this man wasn’t used to being talked to like he was an actual human being. 

That, and Magnus was drop dead gorgeous. Who _wouldn’t_ follow him into the unknown?

It was almost too easy to lead the man around the side of the building and to the alleyway behind it where Alec was waiting. Upon seeing the agent, the henchman showed a single moment of recognition before the heel of Alec’s boot connected with his temple and his lights went out. A little more aggressive than what Magnus was going to go for, but it got the job done. 

“Oh, Clive,” Magnus sighed dramatically. “Look what they’ve done to you!” Hand on his chest, Magnus let out a long, exaggerated sigh. 

Alec, already on the ground tying knots around Clive’s wrists and ankles, looked up to Magnus and rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry, your boyfriend will be just fine.” It was impossible to miss the jealousy in his tone, the annoyance behind the joke. Magnus smirked.

Grabbing Clive’s legs, Magnus helped Alec hoist him up off the ground and towards the car they had waiting. “Don’t tell me you were jealous, Alexander.”

Alec scoffed, opening the car door with his hip. “Jealous? Of this creep? Don’t be ludicrous.” The door slid open and Alec deposited Clive’s upper half in the back seat with little regard for the headache the man was sure to have when he awoke from the way his head hit the door. Well that, and the way Alec’s boot had hit his head. 

Magnus sniggered. “Oh, I don’t know. You sounded pretty jealous to me,” he probed, sliding in the driver’s seat of the car. The whole take-down took less than five minutes and they were out of the alley before anyone even knew that they were there. 

Alec rolled his eyes. “We didn’t have the time. If you remember, we only have seven days and you spent half of one of them flirting with -” he gestured vaguely to the backseat, “...that.”

Magnus grinned, eyes flicking off the road and to Alec, who was now a pretty shade of red. “Oh Alexander, green is such a lovely colour on you.” Alec opened his mouth, most likely to object but Magnus continued on. “However, no need to fear, my dear. I pride myself in being a one soul at a time kind of guy.” The last part came out much more serious than he intended and Alec seemed to notice, for his expression softened. 

“Yeah?” He breathed. 

Magnus swallowed, dragging his eyes away and back to the road. “Yeah.” 

They were weaving through the streets of Budapest to an abandoned warehouse, of all places. Magnus couldn’t help but feel that they were in the midst of becoming a massive cliche, but it was the only place Ragnor could secure for them on such short notice. He usually preferred to do his jobs in the target’s own homes, much less mess and sneaking around that way, but unfortunately that wouldn’t work this time. 

Silence had settled over the car, Alec and Magnus both lost in their thoughts and Clive - well, Clive was still passed out in the back seat. Despite the austerity of their situation, Magnus took the short car ride to enjoy the beauty of the city around them. Budapest was a gorgeous city, with stunning architecture that was a contrasting mix between the Renaissance era and modern art. The sheer amount of stone buildings in the city alone was fascinating and not for the first time on this trip, Magnus wished he had more of a chance to explore. He glanced away from the road and over to Alec, who was looking out the window with his chin rested on his palm. His bottom lip was stuck between his teeth and he worried it, causing the pink flesh to go white. 

Not for the first time, Magnus wished he had more of a chance to explore _with Alec_. To forget about the work and the mission and the killing and just be Magnus and Alec, exploring city after city together. 

But, also not for the first time, Magnus reminded himself that that wasn’t what they were here for. 

They soon left the confines of main civilization and signs of humanity became few and fewer until the only thing surrounding them was rolling fields and lush, green countryside. They drove another twenty minutes, only passing a single farm, until they reached their destination. Magnus had the lingering thought that at least they would be left alone.

As he shut off the car, Magnus snorted. “Well, that’s an abandoned warehouse if I’ve ever seen one. I feel like a criminal in a low-budget action film.” The building was torn down, to put it lightly. The walls were made of sheet metal and looked as if they would blow over if hit with the slightest wind. Rust had infiltrated almost the entire surface and the ceiling had a dangerous sag to it that made Magnus hesitant to enter. 

“It’ll work for what we need it for.” Alec muttered, already out of his seatbelt and stepping out of the car. Magnus followed suit and together, the two of them hauled Clive from the car and into the building. The inside was even more bleak than the outside; walls stained with unknown substances, a thin puddle of water covering the floor and what looked to be bones in one corner. 

Magnus had seen, and done, some horrible things in his lifetime, but even this place caused him to suppress a shudder. 

“You okay?” Alec was bent in front of the single piece of furniture in the room, a metal chair, securing the henchman’s ankles and wrists lest he try and escape. His eyes were on Magnus while his lithe fingers moved with practiced ease, reminding him once again how dangerous the man in front of him was. It was easy to forget that Alec was trained just as he was in the art of killing, when the only image he had of him in his mind was the openness on his face when he spoke of his feelings, or the soft morning light that spilled across his skin in the early hours of the day. Alec was an angel of death, trained from birth to kill, to take lives and forget the consequences. 

But he was also just Alec, sweet, open and honest Alec. The man who had confessed he had feelings for Magnus just less than 24 hours before. And Magnus was having a hard time separating the two. 

Magnus nodded. “Fine, Alexander. Let’s just get this over with, shall we?” Clive was starting to stir, head lolling and eyes blinking open. He had a bistering bruise forming on his temple, colour becoming more prominent as time went on. Alec’s kick had been swift and strong and more than a little arousing. 

But there was a time and a place for those thoughts and this wasn’t either. 

Soon enough, Clive was fully awake and seething with anger. He tugged harshly on his bonds, spewing out a slew of curses and disparagments aimed at the two of them. Magnus rolled his eyes, clicking his tongue. “Calm down, hot shot. Surely you didn’t really think that was flirting? Those were hardly any of my best lines.” 

“Fuck you.” He spat, practically growling at Magnus. 

Magnus crouched in front of the man, close enough that he didn’t have to speak too loud but far enough away that he would be out of immediate harm should his binds break loose. “Now Clive, I’ve only just met you, and we’ve hardly even gone on a date. I am a man of many things, but getting into bed with the enemy? Why that’s something even _I_ wouldn’t do.” 

Alec stepped up behind him and Magnus didn’t need to turn around to see the sour expression on his face. “We could do this the easy way or the hard way. Your choice.” His voice was curt and unyielding, leaving no room for objections. 

Clive fixed them both with a hard stare, mouth pursed in a tense line. Magnus had no expectations that this would be easy, these men worked for Valentine after all. They had most likely been trained to submit to death rather than reveal secrets about their boss. Good thing Magnus was trained as well, in the art of torturing to the point where the end seemed in reach, only to pull back and do it all over again. Not his proudest skill, but it came in handy in times like this. 

Magnus also had similar skills in the bedroom, but with pleasure rather than pain. But he had a feeling those skills wouldn’t be needed today. 

His knuckles made contact with the henchman’s cheek and the crack filled the large empty space. “So you’ve chosen the hard way, I see. Well Clive, I don’t mind that one bit. You see, when things are hard, they tend to be much more interesting.” He shot a wink over his shoulder at Alec, who’s callous exterior cracked slightly at the innuendo. 

He delivered hit after hit to the man, relentlessly slamming him again and again; Magnus’ knuckles were bloody and sore before Clive even considered talking. Alec stepped forward a few times, surely with the intent on taking over, but Magnus brushed him off, determined to finish the job alone. Because his haggard knuckles were nothing compared to the henchman; his face was littered with deep cuts and dark bruises, both of his eyes swollen shut and a stream of blood pouring from his nose. With each punch, anger rose inside Magnus, aggression pouring out in his next hit. His body was protesting but he hardly paid it any attention, too focused on the bleeding man in front of him. 

He let himself get lost in the rhythm of it, the launch of his arm, the contact of his elbow or fist and the pause in between where he would give the henchman a moment to talk, one he never took. His blood was pounding hot and hard in his ears and Magnus’ developed tunnel vision, eyes only on where he was going to strike next, how to inflict maximum damage. 

“Stop.” Magnus was surprised to hear Alec’s deep, authoritative voice, booming out just as Magnus was about to deliver another punch that was sure to knock the goon out. The pressure of his hand on Magnus’ arm mixed with the sound of his voice was enough to pull him out of his trance-like state and Magnus blinked as his surroundings came back into focus. Alec’s touch was gentle yet firm, guiding Magnus back and away from the barely conscious man in front of them. 

Alec pulled him a few steps away, calm eyes raving over Magnus’ sweaty face, hand locked on his bicep. Magnus was distracted by the way his thumb brushed up and down Magnus’ skin over his shirt, the touch comforting and grounding. “Hey,” he whispered softly, eyes boring into Magnus’. “I think that’s enough, okay?. I can take it from here.” The adrenaline was slowly starting to fade from Magnus’ system, rage melting away into a weariness that crept into his bones and muscles like a fog. He registered the pain in his fists, arms and shoulders, the dull thud in his head and knew that Alec was right. He nodded, taking a step back. 

Alec shot him one last warm look before he turned to Clive and his demeanor completely changed. His tender smile had morphed into a cruel scowl, posture hardening into the strong, deadly agent Magnus knew him to be. 

“Now, Magnus here has been going easy on you but I have no problem in making your life a living hell.” Alec spat, venom in his voice. “Unless of course you decide to give us what we want and tell us what your boss is after.” 

Clive remained silent, eyes hazy but focused on Alec with his furious gaze. Alec sighed, as if he was genuinely disappointed, “I didn’t want to have to do this.” He reached forward, locking one of the henchman’s fingers between two of his own before giving it a sharp twist, bone cracking under the pressure. Clive let out a piercing scream and Manus turned away. He was used to blood, gore and torture, but somehow watching Alec inflict it was much worse. 

Magnus could hear the once proud man before them whimpering, tears of pain streaming down his face. Alec too, looked much worse for wear. While he hadn’t actually hurt himself physically as Magnus had, his face was grimaced in a way that showed Magnus he got no enjoyment out of what they were doing. His hands were clenched tightly into fists and he kept shifting his weight from foot to foot, as if nervous. 

It was when the third finger broke that Clive did as well. He let out a guttural scream, fingers twisted at an odd angle and face scrunched up in pain. “I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you, just please - please stop!” His voice was raspy and weak from the screaming and Magnus wanted to be anywhere other than where he was now. But they were about to get information - some real information - that would hopefully make all of this worth it.

“Talk.” Alec commanded roughly, arms crossed over his chest. Magnus could tell from the single word he spoke that he was as shaken as Magnus, desperately trying to hold it together. Magnus walked forward so he was standing beside Alec, brushing their shoulders together and offering silent comfort. 

The henchman took his sweet time, taking a moment to gather himself and straighten up in his chair. The act appeared to take a lot out of him, but he sat up straight and stared them both in the eye. His unfocused eyes flicked between Magnus and Alec, feral excitement shining in them. “You have three sec-” Before Alec could follow through with his threat, the henchman interrupted him. 

“He’s doing all of this for him.” He sniggered, manic coughs wracking his body. 

“Him, who?” Alec demanded, crouching down and twisting Clive’s head so he could see his eyes. They were so swollen that Magnus couldn’t even make out the colour of them. He spat in Alec’s face, blood and saliva mixing together to form a pinkish slime. Alec hardly flinched, but delivered a swift, strong punch straight to Clive’s chest in retaliation, before wiping his face with his shirt. 

Clive’s eyes flicked to Magnus, before resting back on Alec. Slowly, as if being pulled up by an invisible string, he smirked; it was the devilish, crazed smirk of a man who knew he had one more card to play. One more card to keep him in the game. 

“Your boyfriend, agent. The boss wants your hitman dead.” 

 

***

 

_“Your boyfriend, agent. The boss wants your hitman dead.”_

The words had been bouncing around in Alec’s head since he heard them and he couldn’t let them go. He had been thinking about them when Clive passed out and Magnus had immediately jumped into action, figuring how to best get rid of him. He thought about them when they drove out into the middle of nowhere and left the henchman with nothing but a jug of water and then again when they stopped at a truckstop to change and clean the remnants of what they had done off themselves. 

And now, as the sun was setting below the skyline as they drove back within the borders of the city, Alec was still thinking about them. 

It wasn’t the fact that the henchman had called Magnus his boyfriend that had him so worried, he could care less about that at this point. It was the fact that Magnus was the sole target for one of the most high profile crime lords in the world, and Alec was only just finding out about it now. Valentines entire plan revolved around Magnus, specifically wanting Magnus dead, and they had just been blindly following him around the world for weeks, practically jumping in his lap. Alec had the sick thought that maybe the Clave had known this information beforehand, and that sending Magnus in on this mission was their way of trying to get rid of him for good. But that wouldn’t have made sense; Alec grew up with these people and as much as they were corrupted, they weren’t cruel. If they had wanted Magnus dead, they would have done it themselves. The Clave was often unscrupulous, but they did their own dirty work. 

Alec thought back to every interaction they had had with Valentine and his men, direct or indirect, trying to figure out just how he had missed this. But he had been under the impression that Valentine was after the both of them because they were going after _him_ , and with Alec’s connection to the Clave he went into this mission knowing he would be a target from the start. Even when Magnus had gotten hurt, Alec had been mistaken to believe that they were aiming for him and had just missed. Alec would be naive to believe that his parents never worked with Valentine, and so as one of the Clave’s top protective agents as well as Robert and Maryse’s son, it had been easy to assume that that bullet had been meant for him. That Magnus just happened to get caught in the collateral. 

But the entire time they had wanted Magnus. It was always Magnus. 

Alec turned the car into the underground parking lot below the hotel, silence weighing down on him as if physical. Magnus had barely spoken a word since they left the warehouse, only talking when absolutely necessary. The car had been parked for barely half a second before Magnus was up and out of his seat, door slamming loudly behind him, effectively breaking the heavy silence. Alec shut his eyes, unable to move from his seat because like the bang of the door, the crack of a gunshot rang loud in his ears. The gunshot that had been meant to pierce Magnus’ heart to end his life. The shot that, if successful, would have meant that Valentine completed his mission. 

It had been weeks but he still heard the gunshot like it had happened just seconds before. Alec couldn’t help but think, armed with this new bit of information, what would have happened if Valentine’s men had succeeded and they had fatally harmed Magnus. Not only would Alec have failed his mission and lost Magnus, but Valentine would have achieved his. He didn’t know why Valentine wanted Magnus dead, but Alec vowed to do everything and more to ensure that he never got close enough to let that happen. 

It was now more important than ever that Alec stay focused and make Magnus his number one priority. Keeping Magnus safe - keeping him alive - had to be the only thing on Alec’s mind from now on. He had had high stake clients to protect before, clients that he was told he was to die for before letting them get hurt, but he had never had a client like Magnus. A client that was not only important to the Clave, but important to him too. 

A client that Alec didn’t even see as a client anymore, but so, so much more. 

Alec locked the car and silently followed Magnus who was waiting for him in the elevator. Unsurprisingly, he said nothing the entire way up to the penthouse, despite Alec’s best efforts at small talk. The air between them felt stilted, uncomfortable, something he hadn’t associated with Magnus in a very long time. It was as if he was strung tight like a wire, the slightest touch or wrong word armed with the possibility of making him snap. Alec wasn’t used to Magnus like this, unapproachable, closed off and quiet, and so he wasn’t sure how to react.

“I need a shower.” Magnus muttered as they stepped into the room, already walking towards the master suite. Alec watched him walk away, and just for a moment worried about leaving him alone. But he had meticulously searched the room and decked it out with every type of surveillance equipment he could find. No one would be able to get into this room, and if they did, Alec would know. But to be sure, he did a quick bug sweep just to make sure that no one had been in the room while they were gone. Alec didn’t trust anything anymore, not even his state of the art equipment. 

Once he was sure that Magnus would at least be safe within the walls of their suite, he relaxed, if only a little bit. He grabbed his phone from his pocket and walked out onto the balcony connecting his and Magnus’ rooms, the closest he dared himself to be to Magnus. He knew the other man was on edge and wouldn’t appreciate Alec crowding him, but the thought of being any further away filled Alec with anxiety.

Magnus’ terrace doors were cracked slightly and he could hear the water running, signalling the other man was in the shower. 

Alec knew what he had to do next, and knew he had a limited amount of time to do it, but couldn’t bring himself to dial the number he needed to call. Couldn’t break Magnus’ trust and betray him. Not to mention, Alec would be disobeying direct orders from the Commander, but that was low on his list of concerns. 

With one last look at the door behind him Alec dialed his sister’s number, not giving himself time to back out. 

“Hello?”

“Simon?” Alec raised an eyebrow. “Why are you answering my sister’s phone?”

The tech analyst sputtered on the end of the line. “I - uh, well Izzy - uh Isabelle … agent Isabelle - erm,”

“Enough.” Alec sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I don’t have time for this right now. Put Isabelle on the phone. Now.” 

“Er - right away, Alec. I mean, agent Lightwood.” Simon squeaked, and Alec rolled his eyes. Simon had always been a nerd but in the few times they had talked, the two of them had mostly gotten along. He didn’t want to think too hard into the way Simon was acting, lest he add another problem to his ever-growing list. 

“What did you say to him, big brother? He was practically shaking when he gave me the phone.” Isabelle crooned, smirk evident in her voice. 

“Any other day I would be happy to talk about scaring your boyfriends, but not today. Iz, I need your help.” Isabelle immediately clicked into agent mode, serious tone instantly replacing her facetious one. He could hear the click of the keyboard, presumably as she sat down at her computer, ready to help him with whatever he asked. 

Alec loved his sister. He just hoped that she would be able to help him with his request. 

He closed his eyes. Once he told her, there was no going back. He would be exposing both himself and Magnus, as well as the mission, but he was out of options. This was the only way to protect Magnus. “I - I need you to do some research for me. I need all the information on this individual and anything that might link them to Valentine Morgenstern or any of his related crimes. Date back to before Valentine’s prison days as well as after he was out. I need everything.” Alec swallowed thickly. “And then I need you to seal it in a secure file, hide it away and give it to me only if I ask for it, okay?”

This had been Alec’s reasoning with himself. He would get the information, but he would try and get it from the source first. He wanted to give Magnus the benefit of the doubt, give him time to come clean to Alec about why the biggest crime lord in the world wanted him dead. Valentine wanted a lot of people dead, but many of those people had crossed him in missions or hadn’t completed the duties he assigned to them. Alec didn’t want to believe that Magnus had been involved in any of Valentine’s crimes, but he was going to give him the chance to come clean before he found out on his own. 

Isabelle hesitated, the pain in Alec’s voice no doubt evident. “Alec …”

“Isabelle, can you do this for me or not?” He snapped, turning his back to the city skyline, keeping his eyes locked on Magnus’ ajar door. The water was still running. He still had time. “And it goes without saying that this isn’t mission regulated. Mom, dad or the Commander can’t know about this or … I don’t know. I’ll probably be de-runed or something.” 

Being de-runed was one of the most severe punishments of the Clave. To bear the runes of a protetor meant you were loyal, fierce and had vowed to do your duty to its fullest extent. Losing your runes meant you had disobeyed direct orders, and become a traitor in the eyes of the Clave. Not to mention, it was rumoured to be one of the most painful experiences known to man. 

“Of course, Alec.” Isabelle soothed softly. “I would never say anything, you know that. I always have your back, no matter what.” She took a deep breath. “What’s the name I’m looking up?”

Alec didn’t let himself hesitate, for if he did he knew he wouldn’t be able to go through with it. “Magnus Bane.” 

He heard the click of the keys as she started to type, each click tearing away at the trust he and Magnus had built. Even though Alec wasn’t looking directly at the information, he felt as though he was betraying Magnus. But he needed to know; if there was something in there that could help Alec keep him alive, his friendship with Magnus was a small price to pay. 

After a few minutes, Isabelle broke the silence. “Alec … is this him?” 

“What?” He zoned back into the conversation, barely hearing his sister’s words.

“Is this your partner? The one who got shot, and the one you … well - you know.” Her timbre was full of hesitancy, whether for his privacy or because she knew the fragile state he was in at the moment. 

“Uh - yeah. Yeah that’s him.” There was no use in hiding it anymore. They had six days left to complete the mission and Alec held no hopes that something wouldn’t go to shit in that time. It gave him a little piece of mind to know he had told his sister everything himself, just in case something happened to him. “How did you know?”

“When you type in ‘Magnus Bane’ on the Clave computer the most recent thing that pops up is a picture of the two of you.” She explained, quickly continuing. “It’s nothing bad, just the two of you sitting at some restaurant somewhere, talking.” 

“Great.” Alec deadpanned, dropping his head into his hands. “Just what I need right now. Mom and dad finding out I fell for a client on a mission. Or just mom and dad finding out that I fell for a man.” 

“Well,” Isabelle started, smile creeping into her voice. “If it makes you feel better, no one but me would be able to discern the smitten look on your face. You look like you’re glaring at him actually, but your eyes tell another story. And damn,” She whistled, “he’s major cute. Score, big brother!” 

Alec couldn’t help the half smile at his sister’s attempt to cheer him up. Despite everything that was going on, the looming, imminent danger and the fact that Magnus could somehow be connected to the biggest crime ring in the world, Alec let himself smile at the simple joy of talking about boys with his sister. For a second he was almost normal. 

“Alright, enough, Iz.” He chuckled, shaking his head. 

“What? I can’t be proud of my big brother for hooking a catch?” She cajoled, giggling. 

The happiness Alec had been feeling moments before melted away and the bubble of normalcy popped. Because he had been about to tell Isabelle that he would fill her in on what was happening with Magnus when he got home, but the way this mission had been going, he wasn’t sure the likeliness of that. But he couldn’t tell her that because she would worry endlessly and knowing Isabelle, she would try and track him down and come here herself to help. 

Just then, Alec heard the water shut off in the master suite. He turned back to the skyline, dropping his voice. “I have to go Iz, but I promise to fill you in on everything later, okay?” He shut his eyes, trying to get control over his voice. Trying not to let himself slip and say something he would regret, like goodbye. “I love you, so much. Thank you for everything.”

“I love you too, Alec. But tell me that when you get home, okay?” Alec smiled, throat tightening. Isabelle had been saying that to him ever since Alec went out on his first mission at fifteen and she had been just ten. She would always tell him to tell her he loved her when he got home, so he always had a reason to come back. 

“Okay, Izzy. I’ll tell you when I get home. Bye.” Alec hung up before Isabelle could hear the thickness in his voice, the blind hope that he wasn’t lying to her and that he would be able to tell her when he got back. 

He took a moment to collect himself before he stepped back inside, taking the emotions, the hurt from his phone call with Isabelle and locking them into a tiny box in the back of his mind. He would deal with them eventually, but he had a very limited time to complete his mission and the stakes had been raised, so they would stay locked up for now. 

Magnus was sitting at the kitchen table when he entered, shiny wet hair dripping on the shoulders of his robe. He had his back to Alec, but it was impossible to miss the rigidity in his disposition, the tension spanning his entire body. 

Wordlessly, Alec walked around the table and sat across from him. Magnus looked up, a flash of surprise crossing his features when he scanned Alec’s face, but he remained silent. He held Magnus’ gaze, hoping, wishing for Magnus to talk. To tell him that this had all been a mistake and that they had gotten the wrong guy. That Magnus didn’t even know who Valentine was. 

But that wasn’t going to happen and they both knew it. Sighing, Alec broke the strained silence first. “Magnus, we need to talk about this.” 

“There’s nothing to talk about.” 

Alec rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on. Are we just going to ignore the fact that Valentine fucking Morgenstern personally has a bounty on your head? That he wants you dead?” He couldn’t help the way his voice raised, anger seeping into it. He wasn’t angry at Magnus, far from it, but he was frustrated. Frustrated with not knowing what was going on, with being in the dark for so long. 

“That man was delirious, Alec. He didn’t know what he was saying.” Magnus threw back tonelessly. His posture said he could care less about this conversation, examining his nails leisurely, but Alec knew him well enough to know it was one of his tells. Magnus dissociated from situations when he was nervous or upset. 

“Delirious? Magnus, I think the only one being delirious right now is you. While he certainly wasn’t in his right mind, what he said was true. Valentine wants to _kill_ you, and we have no idea why!” 

Magnus stood up and pushed back his chair, slamming his hands on the table. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. You have _no idea_! Just because you’re a prodigy where you come from doesn’t mean you know everything about everything.” He turned on his heel, making towards the bedroom but Alec wasn’t done. 

He headed him off, blocking Magnus’ path to escape. “Okay, why don’t you fill me in on what I’m missing then? Lord knows I could use some fucking information here because you don’t tell me anything.” Alec spat, acrimony lacing his words. He was getting too aggressive, too angry but he couldn’t stop the words as they poured from his mouth.

“Oh, that’s rich coming from you. Really, Alec, that’s good. Don’t act like you haven’t been detailing my every move to your precious mommy and daddy since we started this whole thing. You Lightwoods have never trusted me. I thought you were different, but turns out you're just another clone copy of the rest of them.”

The words were harsh and biting and Alec took a step back as if physically hurt. What was Magnus saying? Alec had hardly been telling the Clave anything since he arrived, let alone his parents. He had been telling them all the bare minimum, worried they would read more into his words than he was willing to share. Magnus knew this, or at least, Alec thought he did. Rage bubbled up inside of him, momentarily silencing the hurt. 

“Maybe I’m just like my parents but at least we have some honour. At least we don't hide in the shadows, killing just to make a living.” Alec shook his head, heartbeat thrumming wildly in his ears. “You’re no better than the criminals we’re chasing. Killing just to make a quick buck.” He shook his head, throwing his hands up. “This whole mission was a mistake.”

“Yeah, well I’m starting to think _everything_ about this whole arrangement was a mistake.” Magnus shot back, making it very clear to Alec what he was referring to. “I was clearly blinded by lust to ever believe I could fall for a Lightwood. I’d rather die.” 

And after everything Magnus had said, that somehow hurt him the most. Because what Alec felt for Magnus was real to him and while he so was upset and angry right now that he could break something, he assumed that they would talk this out in the morning and be fine. But Magnus had just laid the final nail in the coffin, shattering everything Alec had believed to be true. He was wrong about everything, especially Magnus. Through everything that had happened, he had been holding onto the fact that he had something with Magnus to hopefully look forward to, whatever it was. That after six days, they might have the opportunity to see where that went. 

But Magnus never felt the same. He never wanted Alec the way Alec wanted him. 

He didn’t have anything to say - there was nothing he could say. He wasn’t even sure if he could find it in himself to speak right now. Magnus was staring at him, ice in his eyes and Alec needed to be anywhere other than where he was right now. He needed to get away because he could feel his heart breaking, piece by piece, shattering and cracking and he didn’t want Magnus to see him when he finally fell apart. 

“I-I’m going to get food.” Alec rasped out, barely having the mind to grab his keys and wallet before running out the door, tears clouding his eyes. 

 

***

 

The image of Alec’s back was seared into Magnus’ mind. Right next to the image of his face when Magnus had delivered that final blow. That harsh, horrible, brutal blow. When he had told Alec that he didn’t care about him, that he didn’t want him. How Alec had looked as if Magnus had physically struck him, eyes wide and sad, mouth slack. 

Magnus regretted every single word that had come out of his mouth as soon as he had spoken them. His defense tactic was to lash out, but he couldn’t do that with Alec. Alec was different, Alec was special and Magnus couldn’t treat him like he treated everyone else. 

Magnus promised himself that he would tell Alec that, and more, when he came back. Screw waiting until the mission was over, Alec needed to know how he felt. 

As Magnus lay in the king sized bed, a shiver ran through him. It was much too big, too empty and cold. Just the night before he had shared this space with Alec and it had felt like an oasis, but now it felt more like a desert island and Magnus was trapped without food. 

Alec would come back eventually and they would apologize and everything would be okay, he was sure of it. They had both said some terrible things, but it was nothing they couldn’t come back from. Magnus would tell Alec how he really felt, that he hadn’t meant a word of what he said, and they would be fine. 

They’d be fine. He was sure. 

Magnus fell asleep that night tossing and turning. He had left the door to his room open with the hopes that Alec would come in when he came back. He held little hope that Alec would crawl into bed with him, but a small sliver of him dreamed that he would. 

He slept fitfully, waking at the smallest of sounds and calling out to Alec, only to fall back into a restless sleep when he realized that he was still alone. 

When morning drew, Magnus opened his eyes, shielding them from the light. He had slept longer than he thought, afternoon sun streaming through the curtains. A flash of excitement and a touch of nerves filled him as he realized Alec would be home by now, he had to be. There was no way that Alec wouldn’t leave for that long, especially without calling. Sure, they had fought but Alec wouldn’t just leave him. He was sure of it. 

Magnus stepped out into the kitchen, expecting to see Alec at the stove cooking a late breakfast or maybe sitting at the table reading the paper with a coffee like he did every morning but the only thing he was met with was silence, and a barren kitchen. 

Running across the hall, he flung open Alec’s door hoping beyond hope that the other man was still in bed. It was uncharacteristic of him, Alec usually got up before the sun to workout, but they had had a busy day yesterday and Alec was bound to be tired. 

But once again Magnus was met with an empty room and a bed not slept in.

His mind started to whir and he ran around the suite, checking every single room and then checking them all again. Each room was quiet and empty, no sign that Alec had ever returned. No sign that he had been there. 

Magnus started to panic. His breath was coming out in short, uncontrolled puffs and his hands shook, but he forced himself to stay calm. He needed to be of sane mind to find Alec, it wouldn’t help either of them if he couldn’t focus. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths, trying to think as Alec would. 

He knew Alec wouldn’t leave, that was for sure. Angry as he was, Magnus knew Alec and how important this mission was to him. How important _Magnus_ was to him, he thought with a pang to his heart. Even though Magnus had pushed him away, he wouldn’t abandon Magnus and their mission. Especially with what they found out yesterday. 

No, Alec would never leave. Which meant something must have happened to him. Magnus tried not to let his mind wander too far, but couldn’t help the wave of panic resurfacing. Alec could be anywhere, with anyone. Anything could have happened to him, but Magnus had a sick feeling he knew exactly where he was, or at least, exactly who he was with. 

The chirp of a cell phone broke him out of his spiralling thoughts. He whipped his head around, focusing on the piece of technology sitting on the table, realizing with a gut wrench feeling that it was Alec’s. He had left his phone here last night when he had left, which meant they had no way to track him. He was over at the table in a second, phone in hand. 

He knew unlocking it would be an invasion of Alec’s privacy, but for all Magnus knew Alec was in a shipping crate being tortured somewhere in the Indian Ocean. The choice was easy, really. 

He opened the phone to see Alec had a text from a number saved as “Black Rose” who was also his most recent call. The texter asked Alec to call them back as soon as possible because they had something important to tell him about what they discussed the night before. 

Magnus didn’t hesitate a moment before dialing the number. 

A female voice answered on the other end, immediately jumping into frazzled speech. “Oh, thank god you answered. Alec I have to -” 

“Um, hi.” The voice stopped immediately, and Magnus had to check to make sure that she was still on the line. When he confirmed that she was, he brought the phone back to his ear. “My name is Magnus Bane and I’m calling to inform you that I’m pretty sure agent Alec Lightwood has been abducted by Valentine Morgenstern.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...... A CLIFFHANGER (dun dun dunnnnnnnn)
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> Next update will be up when it's up. Find me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/insiemes) to yell at me :) 
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> See you soon angels! xx


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus searches for Alec. Alec faces his worst fear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello darlings! 
> 
> Just a little bit of information before we begin this chapter. From here on out, the story is going to get a little dark. We're going to see characters in pain and being tortured both physically and mentally. PLEASE don't read if this is something triggering for you. Please heed the tags, and read safely. xx 
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> If you're tweeting, tag #eosfic so I can see them 
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> Happy reading!

The thing about the dark, is that it’s all encompassing. 

Darkness has the sick ability to envelop you like a impenetrable fog and disorient your senses, making you blind in every aspect to your surroundings. It’s seemingly endless recesses play tricks on your mind, twisting realistic hallucinations and phantom sounds that haunt every waking hour. It can make you think the skittering sound in the corner is a bear when in reality it’s just a barn rat; the ticking in the corner, turned into the scratch of a beast as it moves across the floor. 

The darkness, seemingly harmless at first, can make even the strongest soldier break if he is exposed to it long enough. It starts by weakening his defences one at a time and leaving him shaking and stricken with terror, paralyzed with fear. It blinds him, isolates him and makes him aware of how alone he is. 

All his life, Alec had never really minded the dark. He’d never once feared it. He actually found that he enjoyed the darkness, the quiet, peaceful solitude of it. When they were children, Isabelle was always the one of them to be scared. Alec would sneak into her room each night after curfew to comfort her, whispering words of encouragement and consolation. He remembered the nightlight he had bought for her one year and how, at age ten, he had to smuggle it into the Institute because their parents would have been furious to find out one of their children was afraid of the dark. 

So, no. Alec wasn’t afraid of the dark. He was trained for the dark. Extensively so. He and Jace used to spend hours upon hours sparring in the pitch black, honing their senses to the movements of one another without sight. It had always resulted in a coverage of bruises and scrapes, but those days were some of Alec’s fondest memories. 

He had learned about the darkness and all there was to know. Alec’s father had taught them that trapping someone in a confined, pitch black space was one of the tactics which was most often used in torture. The removal of the senses mixed with the psychological torture was enough to drive the strongest soldier mad. Alec had worked tirelessly during his training to harden his defence mechanisms against it, to make himself immune to its merciless powers. During his training, he had experienced rigorous simulations, each one showing him how to react, should he ever be put in a situation where there was no light. Alec had always felt comfortable in the dark, in control. It was a time in which he could really allow himself to focus, to figure out what he needed to focus on next. 

But none of the simulations or training could ever have prepared him for this. 

Another bucket of freezing water splashed over his half-naked form, the brutal cold shocking his system into consciousness once again. His arms were strung up above his head in painful shackles, most likely chains based on the sound they made when he had tried vigorously to pull his arms free. The blood had long since stopped pumping to his hands, a numb, tingling feeling spreading from the tips of his fingers to his wrists. He knew it was only a matter of time before his arms lost feeling completely, going numb due to lack of circulation. He only hoped there would be no long lasting damage. 

He had been stripped of his shirt, jacket and shoes, left only in his jeans which clung to him heavily, damp from the water. He felt bare and exposed, not knowing who or what was out there, in the dark, or if they were watching him. Alec almost lost himself to panic, but felt the cool weight of the chain around his neck, pendant resting against his sternum and his heartbeat slowed. The shackles restrained him from running the smooth metal of the necklace between his fingers, but the weight of it soothed him nonetheless, if only just a little. 

He has no idea how long he’d been here, where he was, or even the time of day. Ever since he had woken up an indeterminate amount of time ago from his drugged stupor, he’d been drifting in and out of consciousness, staying awake for only minutes at a time. Every hour or so, a bucket of frigid water would be dropped on him, chilling him to his core. It didn’t help that wherever he was being held was cold too. Probably somewhere underground, he guessed from the lack of light. Alec tried to stay awake to see if his captor was the one to drop the water or if it was dropped from the ceiling, but he slipped out of consciousness every time. It was no doubt a side effect of whatever drug he had been given, which must have been laced in the water for the effects to continue with this degree of effectiveness. 

The ground beneath his feet felt like stone. Or maybe it was concrete. It was hard packed and smooth, though not completely. It was clean, for he felt no pebbles or loose pieces on his bare feet. He wasn’t moving against his own accord and couldn’t hear any sounds besides the ones made by his own body, which meant he was definitely on land and not in transport to somewhere else. Getting a sense of how big the room was was out of the question because of the darkness, considering Alec wouldn’t even be able to see his hand if he could extend it in front of him. He had assumed his eyes would adjust to the dark and he would be able to at least see something, but it was just as dark as when he had first awoke, same inky blackness surrounding him. There was no hint of an echo in the room, that much he knew, because none of his screams ever came back to him. If he had to guess based on the little information he had, he would say it was some sort of holding cell, but a solid door closing him in instead of bars. 

Another thing he had concluded from his surroundings was that he was unequivocally and irrefutably trapped, alone and with no means of escape or getting help. 

While Alec had no concrete evidence, every fibre in his body was all but certain the people holding him worked for Valentine. Or maybe it was Valentine himself. It had to be. Bitterly, Alec almost laughed as he remembered a few days ago when he had ironically thought he was the perfect victim for Valentine Morgenstern; being the Clave’s top protection agent as well as the eldest son of Robert and Maryse Lightwood. If it was indeed Valentine holding him, which Alec was sure it was, it would be nothing short of ironic. 

Left to his own consciousness, Alec spared a thought for where he was. There was no way for him to tell what kind of room he was in, let alone which country. He must not have been out that long though, he thought to himself. There was no way he could have been smuggled from the country and not have known. That’s what he tried to tell himself, at least. The truth was, that with the right dosage of drugs, Alec could have been transported to the other side of the world, and have no recollection of it. He could have been drugged for days, shipped across the border in a tiny box on some ship or in the back of a truck, before being dumped here. 

Wherever here was. 

The last thing he remembered before waking up in the dark, tiny room, was leaving the hotel. He had been angry at Magnus, furious even, rage simmering hot under his skin. Magnus had been cruel, throwing words around like weapons with the intent to wound. But mostly, Alec had felt betrayed. Magnus’ words had hit their mark and he hurt like he hadn’t before. Everything he had thought about Magnus, about them, was all in his head the entire time. Magnus hadn’t meant a single thing he said the other night. He never cared about Alec the way he cared about him. 

Tears had clouded his vision and the sole thought on his mind had been getting out, and as far away from Magnus as he could. He didn’t care where he went as long as it was away from that room. As long as he was away from Magnus. 

Oh, how Alec wished he could go back, do things differently. Because right now, Alec wanted nothing more than to see Magnus, to be with him, one last time. 

When he left the hotel, the cool air of the street had hit his face and he had felt marginally better, but decided a walk would be good to clear his head. He thought it best to get out for an hour or so and then go back and face Magnus. Besides, he hadn’t been wrong in telling Magnus they needed food. They hadn’t had anything since breakfast. 

A walk would be good to clear his head. He remembered thinking that when he got back, they could talk about it. That they would sit down and work it out and in the morning it would be past them. They would get passed it and move on. 

Alec walked down the city streets, recalling the way he had been swept up in his thoughts. Magnus and their fight clouded every single one, his vile words reverberating around in Alec’s mind, each more painful than the last. He had called Alec a mistake. Said he would rather die than be with Alec. Used Alec’s family name against him like it was poison. He had confirmed Alec’s fear that he was becoming the person that he had tirelessly worked all his life to not turn into. 

Too lost in his thoughts, Alec hadn’t paid enough attention to his surroundings, something that had been ingrained into him since his very first training session at three years old. Always, _always_ pay attention to your surroundings. 

Because if you don’t, you may bump into a stranger who would use your abstraction to grab your arm in false apology and with the other hand prick you with a needle, one that contained a strong, fast acting sedative. You wouldn’t be able to fight it off and soon you’d be stumbling into the strangers’ awaiting grasp. From there, it would be easy for the stranger to wrap his arms around your shoulders and pretend that your stumbling is caused by a little too much to drink, explaining this to passersby with a jovial laugh when they ask. It would be no problem for him to lead you to a waiting van, shoving you into a backseat with more strangers, where you would immediately be blindfolded, before passing out. 

And then you’d wake up chained to the ceiling, cold, shaking and exposed in a room so black you couldn’t even tell left from right and wondering how you got here. Or if you’d ever see the light of day again. 

Alec shivered, cold enveloping him. It was the type of cold that sank right into your bones, the type of cold where you felt as if you may never feel warmth again. He remembered learning once that the body shook to try and regain warmth in extreme cold, but once the body stopped shivering, it meant hypothermia was setting in. Alec was thankful at least that his body hadn’t given up on him yet. Because of his extensive training, he knew exactly what his captors were trying to do. They were trying to break him, wear him down. Take away his sense of sight and berate his body physically until his mind followed. They wanted to weaken him so that he would give them whatever it was they desired. 

They knew he was trained, which meant they also knew his weaknesses. 

Alec knew he was slipping. He knew he was dropping into a headspace that was dangerous. A headspace where it would be easy to give up, to accept that this was the end. He was losing his grip on what he knew, fear and loneliness taking over, fighting to break down every one of his defences. 

He was stronger than this. He wasn’t supposed to break, not like this. 

Fighting to stay in control of his thoughts took almost all of his energy. It would be easy to slip, to break. That was something he couldn’t do. Not now. He had to fight to think logically, thinking through the situation just as he was trained to do. There were steps. 

Yes, the steps! Alec, remember the steps. Analyze, opportunity and execution. Analyze your surroundings, anything that could help you in an escape. Learn your captor, their patterns, schedules and mannerisms to determine the best opportunity. And finally, when the time was right, execute your escape. 

He repeated the words over and over in his head. _Analyze, opportunity, execution._ When his head became too crowded, too full of damning thoughts, he said them out loud. Repeated them, screamed them until his voice was hoarse and his throat felt as if it had been scraped raw. It helped a little, talking out loud. With the dark came the harrowing loneliness, creeping in and taking hold like a vice. 

Throughout it all, never did anyone else come into the room. There was no sounds of life, besides Alec himself. There had to be someone watching him somewhere. There had to be a guard behind a computer or someone watching a live video on their phone. Maybe someone was watching him through the door, quietly under the veil of darkness. 

But Alec never saw or heard any signs of life. It drove him crazy, no matter how hard he tried to fend it off. 

He needed to focus. Alec needed a goal because having a goal would keep him motivated and would ensure he would get out of here. Because he would get out of here. He had to. He just had to hold on a little bit longer, and then he would find a way back home. 

A way back to Magnus. 

 

***

 

“My name is Magnus Bane and I’m calling to inform you that there is a high probability Agent Alec Lightwood has been abducted by Valentine Morgenstern.” 

The woman on the other end of the line, whomever she was, had been shocked into silence. Magnus realized that he probably should have gone a little easier on her, maybe broken the news with a little more sensitivity instead of blurting it all out in one breath. This woman was clearly important to Alec, judging by the number of in and outgoing calls between the two of them over the past month and a half and this wasn’t exactly something to be taken lightly. But since childhood, Magnus had always had a flare for the dramatics and frankly, hardly cared about this woman’s feelings when Alec’s life was in potentially grave danger. For all he knew, this was just some secretary that updated Alec on Clave business while he was away. 

He stood in the middle of the hotel room. The room seemed much bigger now that he was alone. The rooms were too vast, too big and they made Magnus feel small. The hand holding the phone to his ear shook, forcing him to take calming breaths to try and steady his erratic heartbeat. He felt weak, numb and out of control. He had no idea where Alec was and that thought terrified him. 

But at the same time, he knew exactly where Alec was, and that scared him even more. 

Magnus wasn’t sure what he expected when he finally heard the woman speak. He thought possibly that she may sound meek, timid, scared or possibly shocked. Maybe she would flood him with questions, speaking quickly and anxiously, begging for answers. He bet on the latter, based on his previous, limited experience with agents of the Clave. They were most always annoyingly inquisitive and cared for nothing but their orders, missions and protocol. 

But what he didn’t expect was hard determination. A cool, crisp tone that demanded answers. A tone that could not only come from an extremely high trained agent, but a strong woman. She asked a single question - though it was more of a statement - direct and to the point, leaving Magnus no room for deflection. “And how am I to know that this isn’t a plot by Valentine Morgenstern himself?” 

Magnus rolled his eyes. Typical. “Associating me with that dirty scum? Glad I dialed the right number; a classic ploy by you and your kind. But nonetheless, I can assure you that I am who I say I am. Ask away, agent. I’ll validate anything you say.” He tried to keep his voice light, but rough emotion shone through, seeping into his words. He was spiteful, and rightfully so. After everything, after all the work and effort he and Alec had put into this mission, not to mention Magnus’ own _blood_ , this institution still had the audacity to question him. Thankfully, this agent didn’t know him well enough to be able to discern all that just through the tone of his voice. He reminded her, none too gently, “The more time we waste here, agent, the longer agent Lightwood is trapped with those filthy bastards.”

“Tell me something about Alec.” She demanded, hard and brisk. The way she said his name, the soft, protectiveness of it, made Magnus pause; his original suspicions were correct. As this woman was no doubt important to Alec, he clearly meant a significant amount to her as well. Definitely closer to him than just some secretary or administrative assistant. Perhaps she was a close family friend, or a past partner in the field. 

There was so many things he could think of to tell her about Alec. He could tell her the details of the mission and how Alec conducted himself in the field, the attentiveness to detail and the rough outside demeanor. He could fill her in on all they had learned thus far about Valentine and the mission, proving his identity and that he wasn’t in cohorts with the enemy. 

But for some reason, he didn’t think that was what the agent was looking for.

A whole rush of thoughts came to him, spilling out his mouth before he even thought to restrain them. “I have been on mission with Alexander - Agent Alec Lightwood - now for 53 days. 54 if you include today. In that time, I have never once seen him go anywhere near any colour of pepper or mushroom. He always picks them out of his food and gives them to me because he knows that I like them, but he himself avoids them like the plague. He sleeps in the pitch black with the windows wide open, and he wakes every morning before the sun is up to workout. He drinks his coffee black with one sugar, which is absolutely disgusting, but he loves it. He has a small scar on his right palm, and when he’s nervous or upset, he kneads over it obsessively. He wears a necklace every single day, and never takes it off but keeps the pendant tucked under his shirt at all times. I have a hunch it’s connected to the scar on his palm as he almost always reaches for it during times of duress, but don’t quote me on that.” Magnus found tears welling in his eyes, but he willed them back. Becoming emotional over Alec’s coffee order or the way he liked to sleep wouldn’t help him right now. He needed to keep a clear head because as much as he hated to admit it, The Clave was his best shot at getting Alec back. Alive. 

Also, this agent didn’t need to know the extent of his feelings for Alec. As far as they were concerned, he and Alec were partners, and nothing to more. And Magnus planned to keep it that way - at least for now. “Is that enough to prove I am not lying with the dogs, agent?” The line went quiet. The only sound he heard was the soft in and out of her breath and the far-off beep of a computer. The tension was palpable. Well, as palpable as it could be when separated by thousands of miles. 

Finally, the woman let out a long breath. “Yes, Magnus, that’s enough. And enough with all the ‘agent’ formalities.” She scorned, teasingly. The agent was much more friendly now, letting out a soft chuckle. Magnus even detected a smile in her voice. “You can call me, Isabelle.” She paused. “Isabelle Lightwood.” 

The onion that was Alexander Lightwood was slowly starting to unpeel, this layer revealing none other than his family. Alec had said very little about his personal life during their time together, alluding only that family was important to him, but never specifics. Magnus knew that the Lightwoods had more children, but knew very little about them or even how many there were.

“Sister?” He asked softly, suddenly flooded with guilt for being so harsh on her. She was worried about Alec just as much as he was, probably even more, and he had taken his frustrations out on her. He decided to try and lighten the mood a little, hoping to make up for his earlier actions. “Either that, or Alexander has a wife he’s neglected to tell me about.” 

Isabelle laughed loudly and Magnus grinned, pleased. “Sister,” she confirmed, “but I think you knew that already. Based both on that romantic speech and what my brother has told me about you two.” There was a smirk in her voice, a teasing lilt that could only come from a little sister. Magnus vowed to retract his “I hate all Lightwoods” policy instantly, modifying it instead to only the older generation of the family. Because clearly the second generation was much more delightful than their wellspring. 

“Ah, so Alexander talks about me? I’d expect nothing less. Though only the good things, I hope.” He couldn’t help but grin, badinage coming easily. “Like my dashing good looks and ability to charm the pants off just about anyone? Well, except him. I’m still working on that. Or did he tell you about my weaponry skills? Alexander has seen firsthand how … comfortable I am handling large weapons.” 

“Ugh!” Isabelle groaned, laughing. “Nope. No way. I don’t want to hear whatever it is you’re saying about my innocent older brother. I don’t need to hear innuendos about what you two have been doing while on this ‘mission’.”

It was wonderful to fall into easy banter with Isabelle, in spite of the building pressure of Alec being gone. He wanted to find Alec with haste more than anything, obviously, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to do that when he wasn’t thinking clearly. Joking with Isabelle, even for a few minutes, helped to clear his mind tenfold. It pushed back the panic and the anxiety he had been feeling since Alec walked out the night before, the panic that had only increased since he awoke this morning.

“But, I _have_ heard all about you. The PG rated things, that is.” She clarified, chuckling. “Though, I only just learnt your name last night. Alec has been very secretive about the whole thing, calling once every couple of days with something new. It’s nice to finally put a face to all the stories.” She seemed genuine in her statement, smile evident in her voice. 

Magnus nodded, untamed smile spread on his lips. Leave it to Alec to follow his orders to a T and keep Magnus’ identity from his own flesh and blood. It was incredibly endearing and, Magnus’ heart fluttered once again with the thought of how much Alec cared for him. He had lied, albeit by omission, to his sister for months for the sole fact of keeping Magnus safe. 

There was no person on this entire planet who deserved Alec Lightwood, or his heart of pure gold. 

“As much as I’d love to hear more about all the gossip Alexander has strewn about me, there is a far more pressing matter at hand.” Magnus spent the next little while filling Isabelle in on everything that he could think of that would help them get to Alec: he told her about Clive and the information they had gotten from him; about the constant threat of a tail since Purkersdorf; the pressure Alec had been feeling and the terrors that still haunted him at night when he finally managed to grasp sleep. He gave her every detail that might help her locate Alec. If she was anything like Alec, she was probably brilliant, top of her class and knew her brother better than anyone else. 

He made the decision to leave out their fight. He glazed over it, and instead told her that Alec had gone out for food. Which, was the excuse that Alec _had_ given him before fleeing. It wasn’t as though he thought that information wouldn’t help - there was the possibility that it might. Isabelle knew Alec better than anyone and she might’ve had some intel on what kind of places he usually went when he was upset. But the reason Magnus made the decision to keep the information to himself was because it filled him with immense embarrassment and he wasn’t ready to share that with Alec’s sister yet. 

He hadn’t meant a single thing that he had said to Alec, that much he knew for sure. Every single harsh word and insult was product of anger, worry and fear, both for Alec and for himself. Guilt and embarrassment ate at his insides thinking about Alec’s face; the sheer and utter devastation on his features when the agent had turned his back to Magnus. How Magnus’ could see the cracks and fissures starting to form and how Alec had scrambled desperately to keep them from falling apart completely. 

It was stupid. _Magnus_ was stupid. Despite all the efforts Magnus had made to be better, to be something more for Alec, he still erected walls when he was hurt. Those walls usually ended up hurting someone, but before Alec, he never cared. He would shut people out, hurt them, push them away and it never mattered. Never affected him at all. Because the walls kept him safe, and he always valued his own safety over others’. 

But this time his walls had hurt someone important. They had hurt _Alec_ , his Alexander, who was more than just someone. He meant more to Magnus than anyone had in a long time. He had taken the time to break down the walls Magnus worked so hard to protect himself with, one by one, brick by brick and Magnus had let him in willingly. But he had pushed Alec so far back this time, that he worried he wouldn’t ever get him back. 

“Magnus, you there?” Isabelle spoke softly, but insistently. Magnus realized that she had been trying to speak to him in an attempt to get more information, but he hadn’t been too lost in his thoughts to notice. 

“Sorry, darling.” He amended, pushing the fight to the back of his mind. He would worry about his withering relationship with Alec later. First, they needed to find him so Magnus actually had a chance to fix what he had broken. “What do you need?” He closed his robe tighter over his frame, arm tightly crossed over his stomach. Magnus unlocked the door and walked out onto the balcony. There was a slight chill in the breeze, but he welcomed the cold. It helped to clear his mind, sharpen it. He needed to stay strong, stay focused - for Alec. He needed to be at his best to find him. And he couldn’t do that if he wasn’t listening to the plan to try and find him. 

Isabelle typed quickly into her computer, muttering to herself quietly. Every once in a while she would ask him to repeat a detail from his story, a fact or date that he had mentioned. He hadn’t any idea what she looked like but he could picture her, poised at her laptop with her fingers flying, eyebrows scrunched in concentration, saving the world one keystroke at a time. 

He let her work, interjecting only when she asked for him. It gave him time to plan out what their next steps would be. Hopefully they wouldn’t have to involve The Clave. Magnus didn’t know if he would be able to handle the Commander right now, let alone the Lightwoods. They were irascible on a good day. Magnus couldn’t imagine what they would be like when they found out their son, and best agent, their prodigy, had been captured by the very man Magnus himself had been set out to kill. 

Yeah, that was one conversation he _really_ didn’t want to have. 

But the universe clearly wasn’t on his side today, because Isabelle delivered the very news he had been dreading. She sighed, long and drawn out. She sounded incredibly exhausted and frustrated. “Here’s the deal. Normally I’d be all for trying to solve this myself, but I can’t do that to Alec.” 

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” she explained, sighing, “- that I can’t _not_ go to the highest level of The Clave with this information. Not when my brother is being held by the most dangerous criminal we have on record.” She sighed again, grumbling. “I’m sorry, Magnus. I’ve searched every single avenue I can think of, but there’s nothing here that will help us find him. There’s equipment we can use to find him, but that’s something I don’t have access to.” She grimaced. “I thought that this was something we could do alone, but my brother deserves the best and unfortunately, the two of us can’t give that to him right now.” 

Magnus pondered through his options. What Isabelle was suggesting, involving the commanding officers of The Clave, was what he had been trying to avoid the entire mission. The less involvement from them, the better. But they knew Valentine, and they had the resources to get Alec. That definitely changed things, but the end goal was still the same. He wanted to find Alec, no matter the cost, and if that meant aligning himself with the very establishment he hated more than anything, he would do it in a heartbeat. 

“Alright. What do we need to do?”

 

***

 

Alec woke again, this time to a torture much worse than frigid water. 

“Agent Lightwood, so nice of you to finally join us.” A smooth voice crooned, sarcasm and venom heavy in his tone. Whatever sedative Alec had been given was strong, his veins feeling as though they were filled with lead, dragging his limbs down with every laboured breath. But he fought against it, forcing his bleary eyes open and his head up, to see the man who was standing in front of him. He could see the figure standing a few feet away, but his vision swam in and out of focus, making it impossible to distinguish any defining features. 

“Wh-” he started but sputtered, cough wracking through his body. It tore at his throat and burned his chest, fire igniting in his lungs and spreading through to his rib cage. Despite the amount of water that had been thrown on him, not a single drop had made it into his mouth since he arrived, which for all he knew could have been days ago. He swallowed, every movement excruciatingly painful. It felt as though all the skin of his trachea was open and exposed, raw and bleeding, but he was determined to try again. “Who are you?” He rasped out.

The figure leaned against the dirt stained wall, flashing a feral grin at Alec, teeth shining white in the dim light. “Who am I? Well, I’m about to become your worst nightmare, but you can call me Sebastian. Sebastian Verlac.” 

He spoke as Magnus did, dramatic flare to his words and rancor in his syntax. But unline Magnus, his words were harsh and cruel. Aiming to hurt and terrorize. And instead of sending a rush of affection through Alec, it made him sick. 

Sebastian laughed, cold and evil. “Prodigy child of The Clave, shining star of his class, hand-picked by his mommy and daddy for one of the most dangerous Clave missions to date.” He brought his fingers up in air quotes around the last bit, rolling his eyes mockingly. The words were cruel, every word making Alec’ skin crawl. He seemed to get enjoyment from his discomfort, only making him grin wider. “Look at you now, _agent_. Shriveled and whimpering in front of me like the pathetic excuse for the man you claim to be.”

Alec used all the energy he could muster to pull his feet underneath him, standing up straight to face his abuser. It was slow and painful. Every single muscle in body felt like it was bruised, every bone felt weak like it was made of tissue. But Alec refused to appear weak in front of this man. He refused to _act_ weak. Because even though his body was tired, Alec knew he was strong. 

He knew that he could make it through this. He could make it out alive. 

He stood to his full height, noticing with minute satisfaction that he was a head taller than Sebastian. He vision was still blurred, but Alec could feel the irritation vibrating off him, the aggravation that Alec had caused by rising to the challenge.

The first strike came out of nowhere, stinging his cheek hard and fast. Alec’s eyes watered from the sheer force of it, but he internalized the pain, refusing to show weakness. The pain did have a positive effect though. The sting of the slap sent a surge of adrenaline through his system, helping to clear his muddled brain, clearing his vision enough to bring the man in front of him into focus. 

A small amount of light had been filtered in the room, allowing Alec to be able to see for the first time since his arrival. It allowed him to see his captor. Sebastian was tall, though not near Alec’s height. He had a pointed face, one that reminded Alec of some sort of snake. He was also pale, incredibly so, his skin sallow, almost glowing in the trace amounts of light that filled the room. His cheekbones were hollow and sunken, giving his face a ghostly appearance. His complexion was not helped by the ashen colour of his hair, so blonde it could almost be considered white. 

He had piercing green eyes, dark and angry, which were directed at Alec. 

“You think you’re so high and mighty, don’t you? A _Lightwood_.” He spat the name with such abhorrence, such disgust that Alec could only conclude this man had some sort of personal connection to his family. No one had that much hatred burning in their heart for someone they’d never met. “One of the high members of The Clave.” He continued, pacing the cell. “You and your prestigious little posse. You brand yourself with these filthy runes, showing off your superiority like no one in the world can touch you.”

He was angry. _Very_ angry. Sebastian paced back and forth in front of Alec, like a tiger in captivity, barely even looking in Alec’s direction. The muscles in his back were drawn tight, coiled and ready to spring at any moment. He was fit, probably about the same as Alec, though his muscles were long and lean. He was dangerous, that much was obvious. Besides the fact that he had already hit Alec multiple times, he was clearly unstable and that made Alec that much more wary of him. He had to figure out just how far he could push him, just how much he could test his limits before his captor snapped. 

Alec rolled his eyes. The movement was painful, but the reaction it got from the man in front of him was worth it. His face grew red, jaw clenching tightly. Good. Alec shook his head, letting out a small, vindictive laugh. “At least I’m not a tiny, albino child that captures people and keeps them in his basement.” He scoffed. “Let me guess, you still live with your mother?” 

The next blow was much harder from the first, knuckles slamming heavily into Alec’s jaw and jerking his head roughly. He tasted the coppery, bitter taste of blood as it filled his mouth, lip and cheek bleeding from the blow. Sebastian was breathing hard, cheeks red and fists clenched. His eyes were wide and seven shades of crazy. 

So, apparently mom jokes were not a crowd pleaser, Alec noted, flexing his jaw as he checked for damage. 

He spit on the ground, right in front of Sebastian’s feet, then pulled himself back up tall. His head was spinning and there was a ringing in his ears but he stood tall. He had briefly gained the upper hand and was intent on keeping it. 

“I know who you are.” Sebastian seethed, stepping right into Alec’s face. “I know everything about you, Alec Lightwood. So I would be a little more respectful towards me, unless you want your blood spilled on this floor like an area rug.” 

Alec glanced around the cell. It was dark and dusty, much like he expected. It was small too, barely big enough for the two of them. “You know nothing about me.” Alec scrunched his nose. “Also, this place could actually use a little colour. Though my suggestion would be some art on the walls. It would really brighten the place up.”

Another strike, right to Alec’s gut. He doubled over, grunting in pain. It took him longer to stand, but he did. He needed to stay strong. 

The man let out a deep laugh, low and menacing. It sent shivers down Alec’s spine, for it meant that this man knew something that Alec didn’t. 

“That’s where you’re wrong, _agent_.” He sneered. “I know you better than you know yourself. I’ve been following you and your little boy toy since day one.” 

The thought of Magnus made Alec hurt far worse than his physical injuries. But he needed to think back. He thought of every single day, every single new city, every new hotel. He pictured this man’s face, trying to match it with the strangers they had encountered. 

“The coffee shop in Purkersdorf.” He filled in unhelpfully. “You sat at the table beside me while you talked to Magnus on your com. You had no idea that I had hacked into the system and was listening along.” 

No. No, that couldn’t be right. The Clave’s systems were supposed to be impenetrable. No one was supposed to be able to get in. They were secure. 

“The hostel in Slovakia. I so badly wanted to end both of your lives right then and there and get this whole thing over with. And I almost succeeded too, but my partner alerted you of our presence and I missed my shot.” He shrugged. “No matter though. You saved me the work of killing that useless mutt by doing it yourself.” 

Alec shook his head. “No, you’re lying.” His mouth had gone dry as he thought back to that night. The night Magnus almost died. “There were three men, and I killed them all.” 

Sebastian growled. “Of course you would think that, you stupid little brat. But unfortunately for your ego, one of your shots missed. You killed the other two, but missed me.” 

He could have been right, but Alec had no way of knowing. He had fired three shots, which he now realized had been blind. He had been relying on his training for them to hit their mark, but hadn’t checked to ensure that they did. His number one concern had been Magnus and making sure he lived. 

Stupid, he cursed himself. So damn stupid. His father would be so ashamed of him if he ever found out his mistakes. Alec had let his emotions cloud his judgement again, and once again, it had cost them. 

The fight was seeping out of him, each word spat from Sebastian’s mouth like a blow to his body. Sebastian had followed them everywhere, every country, every restaurant and hotel. He taunted Alec with the information, telling him intimate details like what Magnus ordered for dinner in Budapest or who won their game of darts, for the sole purpose of driving Alec mad. 

Because it had been Alec’s job to protect them, to protect Magnus. But everytime Sebastian revealed another bit of private information, it drilled into Alec just how dreadfully he had failed. Not only had he allowed Magnus to get hurt, but let a psychopath to follow them on their entire mission and gather intel on their personal lives. 

Sebastian could no doubt see that Alec was falling. He wasn’t standing as straight as before and it was clear that he was feeding on that, for his taunts got more vindictive. “Magnus Bane. You really got yourself in deep with that one, hm?” He mocked, grinning at Alec. 

“Stop.” Alec pleaded. He couldn’t hear about Magnus right now, not when he learned how much he had failed him. Alec was Magnus’ protector, but all he had done was paint a target right on his back and leave him out to the wolves. 

“I had so many chances to kill him. So many times when you left him alone, exposed. It would have been so easy to pick him off while he recovered in Slovakia, those days when you would leave for hours. Neither of you noticed me in one of the top bunks, just watching.” Alec felt sick to his stomach, bile rising in his throat. He had been so close. Sebastian had been _right there_ the entire time. They thought they were clever, avoiding danger by switching hostels, but danger went by the name of Sebastian and had followed them every step they took. 

“On the bus to Budapest and then again in that little coffee shop. Poor Clive. Turns out he wasn’t the only one who fell prey to Magnus’ charms, hm?” 

Alec shut his eyes. He wished he could cover his ears, anything to block it out. 

“You know what all of this means, Alec?” Sebastian asked. He walked right up to Alec until they were almost nose to nose. “This means you failed. You’re a failure. You had one job, and you couldn’t even do it right.” He shook his head in disgust. “The reason the Clave loves you so much is beyond me. All I see is a stupid man - a boy - who can’t see past his blind infatuation with a pretty hitman.” He spat. “Pathetic.” 

Ignore it, Alec told himself, shutting his eyes. Sebastian continued on, spitting out slurs and insults. He tried to think of something, anything else to focus on rather than the relentless berating of insults. 

The first thing that popped into his head, was Magnus. It was painful, but Magnus also brought Alec a sense of comfort. A sense of calm. He thought back to memories of Magnus in the morning, smiling at Alec over the rim of his coffee cup. Magnus in Purkersdorf, dressed in those sinful jean shorts with the sun illuminating him like a spotlight. Magnus singing in the shower in some random hotel room, when he thought Alec to be out on his morning run. Magnus laughing at a joke Alec told as he tried to apply eyeliner, black line smearing down his face. 

Even though he may never see him again, Alec was brought comfort by the thought of Magnus. It may be because he knew he’d never see the man again. Or that, even if by some miracle he were to get out of here alive, Magnus had clearly stated he wanted nothing to do with Alec. So what was the harm in thinking about him, about them, about what they could have been? The lie was easier to pretend that way. It was easy for Alec to close his eyes and imagine a world in which he escaped and Magnus was waiting for him, worried sick while Alec had been gone. He could imagine himself being held by Magnus, comforted as sweet nothings were whispered in his ear. 

He could pretend that Magnus loved him back. 

“You stupid boy.” Alec is jerked roughly from his thoughts, freezing water dropped on him from above. Alec shook his head, water droplets spraying from his hair. Every movement was painful. Every movement took a piece out of him. “I knew Lightwoods were stupid, but you have reached a new level.” 

His entire body shook violently, rage and fear fused with the sheer desperation to stay upright. There was no doubt that if he wasn’t being held by the chains, Alec’s body would be too weak to even sit up. He shook, closing his eyes and trying to imagine Magnus, but Sebastian’s cruel voice carried on. Louder and louder he screamed, taunting him.

Alec couldn’t break. He needed to stay strong. He needed to - to stay awake. Don’t break, don’t let them break you. He repeated it like a mantra in his head, but he knew it would only last for so long. 

Sebastian eventually bored with insulting Alec verbally and switched to hitting him instead. Punches and kicks were delivered to his face and abdomen, each blow knocking him further and further down. Each blow breaking him, weakening him to a point where it was hard to believe he would ever be strong again. 

He was breaking, slowly and painfully, and all the training in the world couldn’t stop it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The proverbial shit is about to hit the fan ... stay tuned!
> 
> Let me know what you thought on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/insiemes) or down below in the comments. Kudo's are known to give me magical fast writing powers ;) 
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> See you soon angels!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec learns the truth. Magnus comes up with a plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see, Angels! 
> 
> Here is chapter 9, ready for your viewing pleasure!
> 
> PLEASE heed the warnings, especially for this chapter. **Graphic depictions of torture and past mentions of abuse**. Stay safe while reading, please xx 
> 
>  
> 
> Use #eosfic if you're livetweeting so I can see them! x
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> Enjoy!

“I don’t see how this could have happened.”

Magnus rolled his eyes for what felt like the umpteenth time since the start of this conversation. Though it could hardly be called that - a conversation. It felt more as though he was talking to a wall. An incredibly dense wall that offered no exchange of dialect other than to object to plain facts and become enraged when challenged. The concept of Alec going missing wasn’t in the slightest difficult to understand; both Magnus and Isabelle had explained it to these so-called leaders, yet still received little to no understanding in return. 

Isabelle had connected him into a video call with the Commander, the eldest Lightwoods and other dignitaries of The Clave. It had taken them a while to gain access to Alec’s personal laptop, but Magnus was quickly learning that the youngest Lightwood daughter was incredibly talented when it came to finding her way through the digital world. She had been able to hack into the IP address and crack the password on the computer in less time than it had taken Magnus to find the damn thing in Alec’s room. 

As impressive as it was, Magnus was ever regretting agreeing to join this chat in the first place. 

“With all due respect Robert,” Magnus explained, using every morsel of his being to keep his tone neutral. “We hardly have the time to explain this situation to you, yet again. What you need to know is that Alexander is currently being held at the hands of diabolical malefactors and, respectfully, the longer it takes you to wrap your pulpous head around this incredibly simple concept, the longer he is in their clutches and at their mercy.” So neutrality was out the window, but Magnus could hardly be phased. “Now, I know you aren’t the most patrilineal of men, but am I correct in assuming you do not wish death upon your own son?” Anger was laced into every word, by the end he was practically seething. But they had been on this call for more than half an hour now, and the most pressing problem in the eyes of these pinheads was how Alec had been captured. It seemed regard for his safety was quite low on their list of priorities. 

Idiots. 

The luminaries seated around the large conference table on the screen looked shocked at Magnus’ dramatic outburst. He was met with many startled and outraged expressions, unbelieving that anyone could speak to Robert Lightwood, the Head of the Institute, that way. Though Magnus was used to this kind of treatment - blatant disrespect - especially from people like those on the screen in front of him. So what if he gave them a taste of their own medicine? If it got him a step closer to Alec, then it was worth it. 

It was worth it anyway though, Magnus thought smugly. Seeing the vein in Robert’s forehead bulging was like the cherry on the top of the cake. 

The line was silent, no one sure how to respond. Even the Commander had been shocked into silence, watching Magnus with a curious expression on her face. All except for Isabelle, of course, who looked impressed. She grinned at Magnus from her place behind her parents, giving him a subtle thumbs up and a wink. 

Robert had turned an unhealthy shade of tomato red, and it could have been the video quality but Magnus was pretty sure the man was vibrating with rage. He slammed his fist down on the table, startling the other members into focus. “And with the utmost respect to you, _Bane_ ” Robert all but snapped, sounding anything but respectful “- we have protocol to follow, which will assist us in finding Agent Lightwood.” 

_Agent Lightwood._ The way they talked about him, like he was nothing more than a clone, just a number in their system, made Magnus sick. This was a human being. This was their _son_ , but they were far more concerned about following the proper protocol than finding him alive. 

Magnus was eternally grateful for Isabelle who stepped in at that moment because the next thing out of his mouth would be the very opposite of respectful and like it or not, he needed to work with these people to get Alec back. It would do neither parties good to be at each other's throats. “I do hope you realize that’s your _son_ , my brother, that you’re talking about, Dad.” Robert shot his daughter a look that was clearly supposed to be chastising, but Isabelle stood tall. She crossed her arms and met his steely look with one of her own.

Magnus was starting to like her more and more.

“That’s enough. All of you.” The Commander snapped. Her lips were pursed tight as she surveyed the room. The agents immediately fell silent and at attention. “Finding Agent Lightwood, alive and well, is our top priority right now. We need to be smart and fast, and we must work together or else we may as well already consider him dead.” No one questioned her. She continued, “Or did you all forget who we’re dealing with?” 

The room stayed silent. She looked around to every face, as if daring them to question her. No one did. She nodded. “Good.” She looked to Magnus. Even through the pixelated computer screen, her eyes were piercing. Magnus wasn’t afraid of her - no, there was nothing this woman could do to him that was worse than what he’d already experienced at the hands of the Clave - but he could see exactly why she stroke fear in the hearts of her agents. “Bane. You are our best informant for this situation. What do you propose is the best solution?” 

If this were up to Magnus he would be working alone. He would find Alec and the evil bastards who took him and get him back to safety. But, if he had learned anything since the start of this mission, it was that he had severely underestimated the evil capacity of Valentine Morgenstern and his men. He knew without a doubt that he wouldn’t even make it into the structure they were holding Alec. 

At least, not alone. 

“I have an idea, but it’s going to require some manpower.”

 

***

 

Another blow. Another cut. Another belittling insult. More pain, more hurt. Though, Alec could hardly feel it anymore. He could hardly feel anything. And as much as the reprieve was an island of safety in the middle of a turbulent, violent ocean, it worried him. What damage had been done at the hands of his tormentor that his nerves no longer functioned as they should? What damage had been done that he hardly felt the slap of Sebastian's hand, or the draw of his knife as it sliced into his flesh? He wondered if the pain had just become too great, too extreme, and his mind had numbed him to it. If his mind had shut off the receptors that allowed him to feel the extent of the torture. Or perhaps his body was functioning on such little power, that all energy had to be diverted to keeping him alive, rather than feeling the pain. 

Whatever the reason, Alec found himself grateful. He was beyond caring of the permanent damage because the probability of him walking out of his seemingly eternal holding place was getting slimmer and slimmer by the day. 

Of course he wanted to get out, to go home - he wanted nothing more. He spent hours upon hours dreaming of scenarios where he was rescued and escaped the hell hole in which he was trapped. He imagined defeating Sebastian and reuniting with those he loved the most. He created entire, detailed plans of his escape, down to the very finest of details. But deep down he knew there was no point. The activity was pointless, other than keeping his mind active. The window of opportunity for him to leave, to escape, was closing and he was beginning to accept his fate. 

It hurt to admit defeat. Alec had grown up in an environment in which defeat was not in the vocabulary, and admitting it warranted a punishment worse than death. His mother and father had drilled into him that he was always to come out on top, that he was to always be in the lead. Coming in any place other than first was not an option and losing a fight was unheard of. But strapped to the ceiling, covered in a litany of lacerations and bruises, Alec had never felt more like he had lost. That he had failed. He wondered what his parents would think of him, should they ever see him as he was now. Would they be grateful to have found him alive? Or would they be filled with bitter disappointment, and leave him to the brutal hands of Sebastian to be finished off?

Alec liked to believe it to be the former, but he knew his parents and the way in which they dealt with situations.

Sebastian had left the cell a while ago, though Alec couldn’t have been sure when. Time seemed to move differently when you were trapped in a small, dark room, and he couldn’t trust his internal clock to tell him exactly how long it had been. His captor had left with the promise that he would return soon, with a surprise for Alec that he was sure to enjoy. But the mocking sneer that donned his vile face when he made his promise made Alec believe this surprise was not something he would be looking forward to. He had responded to the creep with a variety of choice words that Sebastian had not enjoyed, earning him a swift, arduous kick to the chest. He had thankfully passed out not long after, saving him from any further interaction with the bastard. 

Alec opened his eyes, terrified of what he would find when he looked down at his own body. For the majority of the torture, Alec had done his best to keep his eyes shut or look anywhere but where Sebastian was inflicting damage. Not for fear or disgust of the injury, but he worried that if he was faced with the physical representation of what was being done to him, it would weaken and finally disassemble his already crumbling resolve. 

Steeling himself, Alec glanced down at his chest, a guttural gasp escaping him. Sebastian had entertained himself for the past few days, using Alec’s body as his personal punching bag. He berated Alec until he was sure he couldn’t take any more, and then he would hit him again. And again. And again. Harder and harder each time, knocking the wind out of him, and then beating him before he could breathe to get it back. 

He had seemed to get bored of punching Alec after a while, though. And while Alec had mercifully thought he would get a break, that maybe Sebastian would need one too, it seemed the monster was only just getting started with his lurid torture. He had walked away and brought back a set of knives, perfectly lined in their case, scathing and glimmering in the dim light. Alec remembered wistfully to what now felt like a hundred years ago, when he watched Magnus in the weapons cache in the safehouse, admiring the blades as if they were jewels. He remembered watching him for a moment before he had announced his presence, enjoying the view of such a beautiful man wielding such a deadly weapon as if it were nothing more than a harmless feather. 

But Sebastian looked nothing like Magnus had when he gripped the blade. He was ferocious and unstable, and he was anything but graceful. Another thing about Sebastian, that Alec had learned quite early on, was that he attacked and tortured with little regard for what he was doing. Where Magnus was calm, controlled and deadly, always with a motive and a plan behind each action, Sebastian was cracked and erratic. This made him dangerous, quite possibly more so than Magnus, for his next moves could not be predicted nor his method or ferocity of torture. 

He looked down at his body and let out a choked sob, but forced himself to keep his eyes open and survey the damage. The knives had been the worst. Along with a map of deep, jagged lacerations and bruises, Sebastian had taken great joy in defacing Alec’s runes. Bile rose in his throat at the wounds in front of him. The slice of the knife was brutal as flesh was torn away and what had once been a proud designation of Alec’s institution, had turned into a gaping and painful wound. His torso looked like a roadmap, each slice deep and red, set on a background of dark bruises that made every breath painful. 

Each hit had knocked Alec lower and lower, weakening his mental grip on sanity and left him holding on just by the tips of his fingers, struggling to keep hold. He sucked in a deep breath, wincing at the wrench of pain the act sent through his body. It was impossible to assess the magnitude of damage that had already been done, but he did his best. Alec was confident that there was some internal bleeding, that Sebastian’s relentless blows had caused damage that was deeper than what appeared on the surface. His nose was broken and there was no question about a concussion from the way he fought for consciousness. 

But as severe as his injuries were, the mental exhaustion is what he feared the most. Time and time again, Alec had learned that the mind is what kept you strong. It kept you alive. Pain was only as bad as it was perceived in your head, and fear only worsened when you allowed it to. But Alec was slipping, both mentally and physically, and he worried what damage Sebastian could do when he realized that bit of information. 

Seeing himself like this, beaten and bruised, was gut wrenching and more painful than he could ever have imagined. Alec had been in many situations where he had been injured, even to the point of hospitalization, but nothing even close to the magnitude he was now. It terrified him in a way he had never before been scared, because for the first time, Alec wondered if he would make it out alive. 

Being a protector, Alec had taken the oath to place his life in the line of those he was protecting. It was a mandate he had always followed and believed in wholeheartedly. He always knew that one day it was a possibility that he could lose his life on a mission, had prepared for the fact. But now that the moment was here, quite literally staring him in the face, it brought out a gut wrenching fear that was more intense than anything he had known. 

But through it all, Alec thought back to the oath. Protecting those who could not protect themselves. And as bleak as the situation was, Alec was doing his job. He had failed Magnus time and time again, but in the end it was him here and not Magnus. Alec was protecting him, the one thing he had been successful in, and he would continue to do so until he took his very last breath. 

He felt like he had been here for weeks, when his internal clock told him it couldn’t have been more than a few days. Or maybe it had been weeks. Alec wasn’t sure anymore.

Pain coursed through him, unrelated to his injuries. What if they, Magnus and his family, had decided he wasn’t worth saving? Maybe they decided the risk was too great, that risking more lives just to save his wasn’t worth the sacrifice? His mind was feeding into his insecurities, and he fought to keep them out. He hoped that Magnus would fight for him too, but after their argument, Alec wasn’t so sure. _Would Magnus still want to risk his life to save him, after everything that was said?_

But then Alec thought of Sebastian, and his cruel, wicked torture. He thought of all he had been through since he has first woken up, and sheer panic filled him. What if - what if when they came to rescue him, Magnus and the others got captured as well? The pain of imagining Jace or Izzy - or _Magnus_ \- strung up and tortured as he was, hurt him far worse than any blade or punch could. Imagining his loved ones bruised and bloody, all because they had come to save Alec, was worse than anything Sebastian could throw at him.

No. Alec would survive this. He would prevail. He was a Lightwood and a member of The Clave. He was strong. He wasn’t weak. He wouldn’t let his friends, his family or Magnus risk themselves to come to his rescue. He would find his way out and back to them.

The cell door slammed open, banging loud against the wall. Alec flinched.

Sebastian strode through the door, air of cockiness and confidence exuding from him like a stench. He regarded Alec with little interest, scanning him briefly as if checking he was still alive, but the look on his face made it clear he didn’t care about the answer either way. 

“I see you’ve woken from your little power nap. Are you feeling refreshed and ready for another day?” He grinned at Alec’s lack of response, feral and nasty. He closed the gap between them, striding so he was standing directly in front of Alec. He roughly jerked the protectors chin so that he had no choice but to look into those empty, chilling eyes. “I asked you a question, you dumb piece of shit. Or have you lost brain function now as well?”

Alec bit his tongue, holding back the array of curses he had loaded. It would do him no good to continue to insult Sebastian, especially not now, when his body was so weak. So he pushed every other thought to the back of his mind, the only one he focused on was survival. He would do what he could to survive, to escape - and when he did, that was when he would inflict his revenge. 

But until then, surviving meant playing by Sebastian’s rules. 

“Yes.” Alec grunted out, meeting Sebastian’s gaze. 

“Ah, you can speak.” Sebastian chortled, rolling his eyes. “That’s going to come in handy when I bring in your surprise, Lightwood. I’m sure you’re going to be _brimming_ with questions.” 

Fear laced through Alec. His body was conditioned to expect pain when Sebastian laughed, either mental or physical. But none came. 

Instead, the door to the cell opened and another man stepped in. 

When Alec started out on this mission all those weeks ago, the end goal had been clear. He had had his initial worries, but as time grew on he trusted Magnus’ instincts and assurances that all would go over well. And so Alec had let himself believe that when they came face to face with Valentine Morgenstern, he would be dead before he even got a single word out. He imaged meeting the monster that had haunted many of his childhood dreams, his motivation to become a better and stronger warrior, and sentencing him to death the moment he laid eyes on him.

But when Valentine Morgenstern strolled through the door to Alec’s personal hell, looking the picture of sophisticated evil, there was nothing he could do but take a step back, fear and shame coursing through him. 

“Alexander Lightwood, it is a pleasure to finally meet you.” Valentine was tall, and stood in front of Alec in a fitting black suit that hugged his broad shoulders. He had no hair, and a piercing set of eyes that stared straight into Alec’s soul. He fought the urge to cower under his gaze, to shrink back into himself and away from the man in front of him. 

Valentine smiled, in a way that was anything but kind. “Or is it Alec? It’s only that silly little hitman that you allow to call you Alexander, isn’t that right?”

Alec flinched. It was only a small move, a tiny reaction, but Valentine and Sebastian saw it clearly. He cursed himself for once again showing them weakness. “That’s right, Alec. We know everything about you, though I assume Sebastian has let you in on that already?” When Alec didn’t respond, the back of Sebastian’s hand found his cheek, the sharp slap filling the room. 

“He asked you a question. Don’t be fucking rude.” He spat, glaring at Alec. 

Alec swallowed thickly. “He has, yes.” He gritted out. 

“And am I to assume he told you a little more about your little boyfriend?”

Sebastian grinned. “I saved that particular displeasure for you, father.” 

Alec had never been on a rollercoaster, but he assumed the feeling of your stomach dropping that people often associated with the ride was quite similar to what he was experiencing. He was sure he let out an audible gasp, brain trying to catch up with what he was hearing. Never before in his extensive studies had he heard anything about Valentine having children. In no report, no article had it ever stated that he had either adopted or conceived a child. But it was with sick horror that Alec realized, that was the plan. 

Sebastian was somehow a product of Valentine, a child that he had kept from the world as insurance. In addition to having a partner for his sick plans, he had a backup plan in the eventual case that he was caught. No one had been able to figure out how Valentien had escaped, but Alec was staring at him right now. Sebastian had probably been hiding in the shadows, plotting his father's return until the eventual day in which it was achieved. Alec felt ill. Both for the fact that they had missed such a big piece of information, and that Valentine had raised a child. Sebastian’s mannerisms made much more sense now, but if the timeline was correct, Sebastian was only ten when his father was taken into custody, meaning he spent his young adolescence training to be a killer. 

Somehow, this information hurt Alec more than he thought it would. It made him evaluate everything he knew, every little bit of his life. Because, how different was he from the unstable young adult in front of him? He too was trained to kill from birth, and while his parents weren’t psychotic killers, he was not as different from Sebastian as he originally thought. 

Alec’s body sagged, fight draining from him. He wasn’t sure what else they could throw at him, but he wasn’t sure how much more he could take. Valentine looked delighted. “Now, Alec. Don’t look so defeated, son.” Nausea rose in his chest at the endearment, which he guessed was Valentine’s plan. “You were only working with the information you had been given, and unfortunately you were not given much. Even your precious parents had no idea of Jonathan here.” 

“Jonathan?” Alec asked, lifting his head in confusion. 

Valentine shook his head, as if forgetting that Alec knew so little. “Sorry. When I was arrested, Jonathan was forced to go into the shadows in order to ensure that my mission was carried out, but he needed another identity to do so. Following my return, he has since taken on his birth name once more. Jonathan Christopher Morgenstern.” Sebastian - Jonathan, whatever his name was - preened at the use of his full name, standing proudly beside his father. He looked like a kid who had just been told they were line leader, or something. Alec smirked. 

Valentine’s expression turned cold. “I wouldn’t look too happy with yourself, boy. You’ve hardly heard what I have to tell you yet.”

“I’m sure I don’t want to know, nor do I care about what you have to say.” Alec retorted. 

Valentine grinned. “So you don’t want to know about Magnus Bane? The man you foolishly fell in love with before learning anything about?”

Alec stiffened defensively. “I know everything that I need to know about Magnus.” 

“Oh, that’s where you are naively wrong, pretty boy. I’m guessing he never told you about his past?”

 

***

 

After the call ended, Magnus sat staring at the computer for a very long time. In the quiet moments in which he stared at the shiny, black screen of the laptop, two things became abundantly clear to him. 

The first, was that he was very near certain that he could not trust the Clave. This revelation did not come as a surprise to him, but a small part of him had been hoping that more of the agents would be like Alec, loyal to the Clave’s original mission. Magnus could see himself putting trust into Isabelle, but unfortunately the authority in which she worked for made him unable to fully put his trust in her hands. Isabelle, liker her older brother, was bound by protocol which meant that anything shared with her would have to be passed on to her parents, as well as a hoard of other agents, and that wasn’t something Magnus wanted to risk. He had a plan to save Alec, and had only let the others in on a small portion of it. They had agreed to his plan, mainly because they had been unsuccessful in plotting a better idea themselves, and dispatched a team to meet him in Budapest within the day. 

Magnus’ dispositions with the Clave went too far back to dig up, only just further than his dispute with the Lightwood family. Wounds had been healed but that didn’t mean there weren’t still scars. Scars that Magnus felt each day, more often with this mission. He had his prejudices, as did the Clave, and these prejudices couldn’t just be set aside in a day. It had taken him a long time to warm up to Alec, but he had. Mind you, that had been majorly attributed to the fact that Alec was nothing like the other members of his prestigious cult. He was kind, caring and thoughtful, under a callous shell that surrounded him, erected due to hate and punishment in his upbringing. Underneath it all though, Alec was so much more than a machine trained to kill. He was human. 

Which brought Magnus to the second realization; he had to go after Alec alone. 

The Clave would give him no assistance in rescuing Alec, of that he was sure. They were trained robots, who followed each other around and vomited out protocol at any available moment. Furthermore, he knew that the moment those greedy bastards got within spitting distance of wherever Alec was being held, their main priority would become Valentine Morgenstern, rather than their own agent. Rather than _Alec_. Even Alec’s parents, he was sure, would be more concerned with the original mission at hand - the one they deemed Alec and he had failed - than rescue their son from the hands of a psychopath. 

Yes, Magnus had to go in alone. He had a plan to save Alec. Albeit, it wasn’t the most soundproof of plans, but he was sure that it would get him to where he needed to be and from there, he could figure a way to free Alec. 

His plan was quite simple, really. The henchman, Clive, had said that Valentine was after Magnus. Surely, they were dying to get their hands on him. Magnus figured it wouldn’t take him long to get get captured once he dropped all the sneaking around. The hope was, Valentine’s goons would collect him and bring him to wherever they were holding Alec. From there, Magnus would do his best to talk his way out, freeing them both. 

He didn’t want to think about the many scenarios in which this plan could go down the drain; Valentine could no longer be interested in him now that he had Alec, though he didn’t think that was probable. His history alone with the criminal assured Magnus that there was nothing he could do to lose Valentine’s interest. There was also the probability that they wouldn’t bring him to the same place in which Alec was held, making Magnus’ entire plan all for naught. Or the possibility that, even if they were together, they would be unable to escape. 

At least they would be together, Magnus thought. 

There was another possibility that he forced himself to think about. He knew that there was a chance that both he and Alec wouldn’t be able to leave, that Valentine would choose one of them to keep. Magnus promised himself, and Alec silently, that if that was the case, he would offer himself up to Valentine with no hesitation. It was him that Valentine wanted after all, and it would be unfair to leave Alec to suffer the consequences and pay the debt of Magnus’ actions all those years ago. And the thought of ever subjecting Alec to a lifetime of torture just because he was too selfish to own up to his actions made Magnus hurt greater than he ever had before. 

No, Alec would be free. However this played out, Alec would get out. Alec would survive. Everything else could be sorted out later. 

Magnus thought about preparing a bag of weapons and items he might need, but was sure it would be wasted time. If he knew Valentine, and he felt he did quite well at this point - he wouldn’t be taking his chances with Magnus. Not again. As soon as he was apprehended, he would be stripped of everything that even resembled a weapon. 

So instead, Magnus sat down at the vanity in the hotel bathroom and did his makeup. Usually, the action never failed to calm him down, but today he found it incredibly difficult to concentrate. The usually appeasing stroke of the brush against his skin, felt rushed and erratic. He tried to ignore the shake in his hand, the way it quivered as he drew a thick black line across his eyelids. 

Setting his tools down, Magnus observed himself in the mirror. On first glance, he looked just as he always did. Makeup and hair flawlessly done, dressed in a sharp suit with jewels to match. He looked confident and sure, ready for anything that came his way. 

But upon closer look, Magnus could see the cracks in his ever-present facade. He could see the heavy bruises under his eyes that his makeup had been unable to cover, evidence of his poor sleep the night before. He could see the way his eyes had lost their shine, a shine he had gotten used to after being around Alec. They had been reduced to dull intensity, and Magnus had to look away, unable to see himself this way anymore. 

He stood up from the chair, refusing to pity himself anymore. He didn’t deserve to pity himself, not when Alec needed him. It was Magnus’ fault he was gone, and he was damn well sure not going to let anything worse happen to him because he was lost to self dejection. 

It was time to go. He couldn’t stall any longer, because the longer he waited the most time Alec was in danger. Magnus took only one item with him, a short blade his mother had given him as a child. It had a ruby encrusted in the hilt, and her name engraved on the back. Magnus never left home without it and he wouldn’t start now. 

With one last glance around, Magnus left the safety of the hotel room and into the lion's den. 

 

***

 

“It must be really something if we know more about him than you.” Jonathan snickered, a smirk playing on his lips. “Clearly he doesn’t trust you enough to share his past with you.”

Alec tried to hold his ground, he really did, but the two of them were playing directly to his insecurities. Jonathan and Valentine sneered down at him, pride on their twisted features. They knew exactly what they were doing to him. They could see how their words affected Alec. How the mention of Magnus, and his past, had him both intrigued and terrified. 

Alec had always known there was more to Magnus than the hitman initially let on. It was one of the reasons he had made that deal with him on the plane all those weeks ago. He knew Magnus was hiding a part of himself, but as Alec got to know him, he found he cared less and less. Magnus had shown time and time again that he was of good conscience and it didn’t matter to Alec what he found out about his past. He knew he would still feel the same about him, would still think the world of him. 

But at the same time, he was scared. Magnus had lived a full, and dangerous, life before he had met Alec, most of the details unbeknownst to him. He didn’t know of all the things Magnus had done, the people he had killed, the terrible things that had happened to him. And from the look on their faces, Valentine and Jonathan knew more than enough. 

He owed it to himself though, to Magnus, to hear his story. No matter what they told him, Alec was prepared to hear it. So, he stood tall in his shackles and faced his captors at full height. “There is _nothing_ you could tell me that will change the way I feel about him.” 

Valentine smiled maliciously. “I wouldn’t speak too soon, if I were you.” The criminal stalked around the cell, hands behind his back as he surveyed Alec. He walked the cell, the only sounds being the click of his shoes and Alec’s own harsh breathing. “I have known Magnus Bane for a long time, almost as long as he’s been alive.”

“His father, Asmodeus, and I were business partners back in the day. We had a dream, a plan, and in it’s completion we would essentially rule the world. I wanted to rid the world of the vermin who clogged the streets, and filled the shelters. But Asmodeus, he just wanted riches. We worked well together, he and I. I had the plan and the connections and he had the means to get me there. We were a well oiled machine.” 

Alec thought back to what he knew of Valentine, and never in his studies had he heard of a partner. He was starting to realize that he knew even less about Valentine than he originally thought. That there was so much more to the criminal than they had on file. He could only imagine the mayhem Valentine would cause with an unlimited budget and another mind just as sick as his own. 

“Things started to fall when Asmodeus got that stupid wench pregnant. He was such an idiot, but assured me it would be nothing. He would make it go away, and we’d never see _it_ again.” Valentine shook his head, scoffing. “But he could never resist anything pretty, anything shiny. He was a man controlled by greed, and whatever he wanted, he got. He wanted the woman, and so she became his.”

He must have been referring to Magnus’ mother, with Magnus in her womb. Alec’s stomach clenched painfully, scared of what he would hear next. 

“Asmodeus used her as a plaything, something for his amusement. It was all fun and games of course, until the baby was born. The bitch was only concerned about caring for the infant after that, and could care less about pleasing Asmodeus.” Valentine chuckled. “As you can guess, this didn’t go over well with him.” 

Alec felt ill. He never knew the traumas of Magnus’ past, but he could only infer the worst, with a man like Asmodeus at the helm. Jonathan was over in the corner, grinning at Alec like he was actually enjoying this story. He had probably heard it before, his father telling it to him each night before bed. Sicko. 

“As the years went on, we had less and less use for the woman. She became rebellious and disobedient, and she was getting older. Her beauty had long since faded. The child was annoying, but quite helpful. He was young and impressionable, and followed his father around all day long. It wasn’t long before we realized he was useful, both to the organization and our end goal.”

Valentine went into detail of the missions Magnus had carried out as a child, no older than ten, but Alec had to block them out. It filled him with dread and agony to think of Magnus as a child, being used as a pawn in a criminal organization. Imagining Magnus taking lives during a meeting at that age, because no one expected a child to be trained with an assault rifle. He tried not to picture Magnus, standing in between his father and Valentine at just ten years old, rifle strapped to his back, eyes black and empty.  
Alec fought to stay in control of his body but he couldn’t stop the shivers. The exault of emotions leaving his body. He clenched his eyes tight. 

“Too much for you, Lightwood?” Jonathan sneered, laughing. 

Alec opened his eyes. He needed to keep listening, he needed to hear the rest of Magnus’ story, no matter how much it hurt. He owed him that much. 

“Keep going.” He growled roughly. 

“As you wish.” Valentine grinned. “Where was I? Ah, yes. Magnus was quite the useful little soldier. He took more lives in those few years than the number he had been alive. It was quite the joy to watch.” Valentine stood right in front of Alec, waving his hands as if he were simply telling a pleasant tale from his past. “But, it wasn’t long before things started to crumble. Asmodeus was losing sight of the mission, too driven by the need to kill and the payoff at the end. He no longer cared about ridding the world of those unworthy to live in it, he just wanted the paycheck.” Valentine shrugged, “So, I had to have him taken out.”

It took Alec a moment, but the feral grins on both of their faces was enough. “You didn’t -”

Jonathan cackled. “Oh, but he did! He had the little cretin kill his own father. And guess what? He did it willingly.” 

Alec felt as if his feet had slipped out from beneath him. This couldn’t be right. Asmodeus was no doubt a horrible man, but for Magnus to kill him in cold blood? That didn’t sound right. He didn’t understand. It didn’t sound like Magnus at all. 

But at the same time, Alec could never imagine the thoughts that would have been going through his mind, especially at such a young age. Surrounded by death, corruption and blood had a sure way of changing someone. Magnus could have been running on survival instincts, or just acting as he had been raised to do; to follow orders. 

Alec felt sick. For the way he and Magnus were raised wasn’t so different, after all. 

Valentine continued, though Alec wasn’t sure how much more he could bear. “With Asmodeus out of the way, the plan was back on track. I had gained control of all the shares, as well as his property which included the boy and his mother. After killing his father, I hadn’t much use for Magnus either. He was getting older and, like his mother, began forming his own opinions about what was right and wrong. He wanted to have more of a say in the operation and, well, I couldn’t have that. I had just gotten rid of my partner, and didn’t need another.”

“But the two of them would serve another purpose for me. Business had been booming thanks to the help of your little boyfriend, and sales were through the roof.” At Alec’s confused expression, Valentine’s just grew in glee. “People, Lightwood. We were selling people. We would take them from the street and sell them to a home where they would be of … more use.” 

Alec actually was sick then. The bile rose high in his throat, and he had to swallow before it escaped. His body shook violently, unable to process what he was hearing. He knew Valentine was involved in human trafficking, but the way he spoke of it, so proud and … _gleeful_ made Alec nauseous. 

Jonathan skipped over from his spot in the corner, getting right up into Alec’s face. “Look Father, he’s turning green.” He observed, clicking his tongue. “I never took you for such a pussy, Lightwood.” Alec could do nothing more than glare at him, wishing he had the power to pummel the creep with his mind. 

“Now, now Jonathan. Give our guest some space.” Jonathan reluctantly backed away, and not a moment too soon. Alec was seconds away from kicking him in the groin. 

“Do you want me to continue, Alexander? Or do you need a moment?” Though Valentine’s words sounded sincere, the tone in which he spoke them was anything but. Alec wordlessly stared at Valentine, clenching his jaw, which the demon took as a sign to continue. “Very well. I was done with Magnus and his rat of a mother. I figured they’d sell well, both of them being property of Asmodeus, and all.”

Valentine started to pace. “But somehow, Magnus escaped. I left my henchman in charge of his transportation, but found them all dead by morning. The little bastard had killed them all and escaped. But he hadn’t been able to take his mother with him, I made sure of that. I sold her to the vilest of men, knowing that word would travel back to Bane. He was never the perfect soldier, because no matter how hard we tried, he was too soft. He cared deeply for his mother, and in the end that was his undoing.”

Alec could see the rage building in Valentine. He knew the next part of the story would outline the details of his arrest, but he wondered how Magnus fit in with all of it. After losing his mother that way, he wasn’t sure what he was expecting. 

“It was a year before I heard from him again. It was the day after his mother was murdered. Her handler had been too rough, and her heart had finally given out. Magnus, thirteen at the time, had been tracking her just as I had, but he had been unable to save her in time. He took his rage out on me.” Valentine seethed. 

Jonathan jumped in, his father too enraged. “The bastard knocked father unconscious and snuck into his office. He found every piece of proof he could on the organization and collected it into a file. He took the file, and fled to the only safety he could think of.” Jonathan laughed creully. “He ran right to your parents, Lightwood.” 

Alec’s mouth dropped open. His _parents_? He knew that Magnus and his parents had a past, but this was far from what he was expecting. Because if Magnus had brought them the file then that meant that -

Jonathan voiced exactly what Alec was thinking. “Magnus brought The Clave all the information they needed to take down Valentine, and they pushed him away like a bug on their windshield, taking all the credit. Magnus was never even mentioned in anything, after everything he had done.” Jonathan laughed. “Your parents swooped in and took my father into custody, claiming all the victory for themselves.”

Valentine, having recovered, pushed his son aside. “In my years in prison, I thought of Magnus every day. Because while the world thought the Lightwoods to be responsible for my capture, I knew the truth. Magnus had destroyed my entire life’s work, and the only satisfaction I had was knowing that he had ended up exactly as I intended.” He walked right in front of Alec, looking him dead in the eye. “Magnus grew up killing for profit, no better than his father. He grew up to be the cold blooded killer I trained him to be, his little spat with The Clave pushing him over the edge.”

Alec couldn't hold it in anymore. “You’re wrong! Magnus is _nothing_ like his father. You may think he’s a killer, but Magnus has a heart. A heart that tells him what is right and what is wrong. He’s strong, and caring and independent and he does what he does for so much more than just sport.”

Valentine rolled his eyes. “He’s really got you believing all this, has he? Tell me, how many men and women has he killed? How many children? How many innocent lives have been taken at the hands of the great Magnus Bane?”

Alec stayed silent, for that was a question he did not know the answer to. He liked to believe the answer was zero, but after hearing the story of Magnus’ childhood he wasn’t so sure. But one thing he was sure of, was that no matter what that number was, his opinion of Magnus wouldn’t change. He knew Magnus as he was now, not how he acted in his past. 

He had changed, and Alec would give him the benefit of the doubt. He trusted Magnus. 

“I don’t care.” He responded, sure. “I don’t care about the kills, the lives taken. Because they don’t define him.”

Jonathan and his father shared a look, the two of them silently communicating. Alec was on edge, vibrating with the need to do _something_. He forgot about his bruised and broken body, about everything he had just heard. Because something more important had just taken up residence in the forefront of his mind. 

Escaping. 

Valentine’s little story had the opposite effect on Alec that it had been intended for. Instead of discouraging him and pinning him against Magnus, it had renewed his determination to get out of there and see the man in question. Alec wanted nothing more to hug Magnus, to apologize and tell him that what happened was not his fault. He wanted to apologize on behalf of his parents and give Magnus the recognition he deserved.

But mostly, he wanted to tell him that he loved him. 

With a ferocious determination running through his veins, Alec stood up with new confidence. He faced his captors, both of whom looked incredibly pleased. Jonathan had a phone in his hand, talking briskly to someone on the other end, before hanging up. Valentine looked at his son expectantly, who just nodded. 

Valentine then started laughing. It was a deep bellied laugh, a laugh that shook his entire being. Jonathan joined in, the two of them cackling as if at a good joke. The wind Alec had been riding on suddenly died, dread settling in his gut. 

“It seems you won’t have to wait long to be reunited with your lover.” Valentine sneered, still chuckling. “My men just picked him up on the outskirts of Budapest.” 

 

***

 

Magnus had hardly left the premise of the hotel when he was intercepted. 

He had just turned the corner, walking less than a hundred feet before everything went dark and he felt himself falling back into the clutches of Valentine’s henchmen. Magnus had expected it to be quick … but not _that_ quick. He had given himself a little bit of credit and thought he could at minimum lead them on a little goose chase for a while before handing himself in, at the very least giving the thugs some confidence that they had done their job. 

But alas, they actually seemed to know what they were doing and had nabbed Magnus when he was most expecting it. Oh, well. Better to get it over with sooner anyway. 

A dark bag had been placed (yes placed, these thugs were very gentle) over his head. Though, it seemed to have some enhanced properties. Not an inch of light came in through the material, turning everything inside pitch black. In addition, the bag also somehow blocked out all sound, which was a little disorienting. Magnus could feel the cloth on his face and could verify that the material was no thinner than a t-shirt, but it sounded as though he was trapped in a steel box, 50 feet below ground; completely silent. Weird. 

His hands and feet had also been bound, something he was expecting. Valentine wasn’t going to take any chances this time around. He wanted Magnus delivered alive, and in due time. Not to worry, Magnus thought to himself with a humourless chuckle, wherever Valentine was was where he wanted to be, anyway. 

The trip seemed to take almost no time at all, one second Magnus was being apprehended and the next he was placed gently on a soft surface. He spared a thought for the Morgenstern organization and made a mental note to talk to Valentine about the updated customer service policies. He was being treated much nicer than he remembered hostages being treated in the past. 

The bag was removed from his head and Magnus needed a moment to adjust, eyes blinded by the light. He closed them, counting to thirty in his head. He might as well take his time, for he knew when he opened them, he’d be faced with the ugly faces of Valentine’s men and probably the criminal himself, neither of which was a pretty sight. He spared a moment to think of Alec, picturing his face clearly in his mind, as if the man were right in front of him. He saw his soulful hazels, his sly grin and his hair that never seemed to sit quite right on his head. He saw the small scar on his eyebrow, and the smirk that so rarely played on his lips.

With the picture of Alec in his mind, Magnus had the courage to open his eyes and face his demons. Slowly he cracked his eyes open, blinking to adjust to the light. 

Magnus saw that he was back in his own hotel room. 

He blinked another few times, but the image stayed just as crisp and clear as it had when he first saw it. Everything was the same as when he had left it probably not even half an hour ago. Beds unmade, dishes on the counter and his cellphone and wallet sitting on the front table. There was one minor difference though that was glaring Magnus right in the face. 

Standing in front of him was Isabelle Lightwood, who had quite literally the most menacing glare he had ever seen in his entire life. 

“Uhh -” Magnus started, dumbly. Isabelle’s eyes hardened, and she took a threatening step closer. 

“What in Raziel were you thinking? Are you out of your damn mind?” She was practically shrieking at him by this point, and Magnus felt he could do nothing but sit and take it. Because in all honesty, he was relieved. While he was fully prepared to sacrifice himself over to Valentine, a part of him still feared doing it alone. Magnus was no longer alone, and from what little he knew about Alec’s sister, she wouldn’t be letting him out of her sight anytime soon. 

Before he could wrap his head around what was happening, another figure walked out of Alec’s room. “Give him a break, Iz. He was probably just doing what he thought was right. Right?” Magnus nodded dumbly. The man was tall and blonde, with broad shoulders. Magnus also noted with interest that he had two different coloured eyes. 

Isabelle crossed her arms. “Righteousness or not, I don’t care. It was stupid.” 

More figures emerged from the room. There was a short redhead, a tall man with curly hair and glasses, a woman with dark skin and piercing green eyes and a man who appeared to be the leader. He pushed passed the rest of them, until he was standing right in front of Magnus. He had large muscles, made even larger when he crossed his arms as he was now. But Magnus had learned long ago to stop being intimidated by muscles. Just because they had muscles, it didn’t always mean they knew how to use them.

“Isabelle is right. What you did was incredibly stupid. You were lucky we found you when we did.”

Magnus rolled his eyes, finally getting his wits back. “If you hadn’t found me, maybe my plan would have actually worked.”

The man raised an eyebrow challengingly. “And what was that plan? Get captured by Valentine’s men so you could get to Alec? Did you think through all the possibilities, like the fact that Valentine would never let either of you out of his sight once he found you?”

He was speaking truths, but Magnus didn’t dare show him that. “My plan was to save Alec, which is far better than anything any of you have come up with.” He shot back, making eye contact with each one of them. 

Magnus finally landed on the man, holding his stern gaze. He reminded Magnus of a father figure - not his own, of course - laying down the rules but only to keep his kids safe. He wasn’t yet sure what to make of the man, but there was something about him that made Magnus want to trust him. 

It seemed like an eternity later, but a smile broke out on his face. He gestured to Isabelle. “Take these restraints off him, please.” She did as she was told, and when Magnus had stretched his fingers, the man held his hand out to shake. “My name is Luke Garroway, leader of The Clave’s field team. It’s a pleasure.” 

Magnus shook his hand warily. Luke had kind eyes, eyes that told Magnus he could be trusted. But he was still apart of the very institution Magnus hated and for that, he was still on Magnus’ bad list. Or perhaps his ‘maybe list’. 

Luke turned behind him, gesturing to the group of agents. “This is my team; Clary Fairchild, Simon Lewis, Maia Roberts and Jace Herondale. And I believe you already know Isabelle.” Magnus nodded to each one of them in turn. When he got to Isabelle she gave him a small, apologetic smile to which he couldn't help but return. 

“I uh - I think it goes without saying that I was expecting you all to arrive much later.” Magnus admitted, earning laughs from the group. 

The small red-headed agent, Clary, spoke up. “We figured. Well, Isabelle told us she had an inkling you’d do what you did, so we left a lot sooner than intended.” She shrugged. “I guess it was a good thing we did.” 

Jace, the tall blonde, nodded. “We know you’re tough, man, but Valentine is tougher. I hate to break it to you, but there’s no way you could have gone in there alone and come out the other side.” 

The nerdy looking one, raised his head. “It’s true. Valentine is like … the Thanos of evil. No, maybe he’s more of a Darth Vader? Both evil, with zero trace of humanity within them.” The group groaned in unison, all but Isabelle who laughed. 

The agent, Maia, stepped forward and right into Magnus’ space. He wasn’t going to lie, she intimidated him a little. She stared up at him, fierceness in her eyes. “I don’t know who you think you are, but in this group we do things as a team. No one works alone. So either you get with that program, or you get out.” 

Isabelle gently pushed Maia aside, sending her a small smile. “I think what she means to say,” she amended. “Is that we’re a family here. We protect our own, but we do it together. And if you’re going to be a part of this family, Bane, you’ve got a lot to learn.”

Magnus looked around to all of the faces, each looking back at him. They seemed like nice people, all people he wanted to let himself trust. He heart panged because he thought sadly that Alec was a part of this family. That he was one of them and now he was in danger, which brought them all here. Magnus had never had a family, but he wished in another life he could have one like this. 

But above all, he needed to do a reality check. Yes, these people worked for The Clave, but they were Alec’s family, and that had to mean something. Alec wouldn’t choose just anyone to open up to, so there must have been something about these six people that was special. 

And so even though it went against every single fibre of Magnus’ being, he decided enough was enough. He couldn’t save Alec alone, he needed a team. 

“Alright, I’m in.” 

Isabelle grabbed his hand excitedly, bypassing a shake completely and pulling him in for a hug. The others crowded in as well, patting him on the back and sending him warm smiles. Magnus wasn’t quite sure what to make of it, but he didn’t hate it. Not by a long shot. 

The bubble of happiness was broken instantly however, by a single word. 

“Hello.” 

Everyone turned to the door to see the intruder, pulling back from the hug and standing at attention. Magnus’ eyes settled on the woman and he felt a cold shiver of unpleasantness rush through his veins. Maryse Lightwood looked back at him, expression unreadable. 

She cleared her throat, walking towards Magnus and the agents. “I am sorry to interrupt.” 

Luke shook his head. “Nonsense, you’re not interrupting. We just weren’t expecting you is all.” He said gently. “I thought you and Robert were staying behind in the command center?” 

Maryse pursed her lips. “Robert has made that decision for himself, I’m afraid. He deemed the capture and arrest of Valentine more important than the rescue of of our our ag - of our son, and I could not stand by and watch that happen.”

Luke placed a tender hand on her shoulder. “Well, we’re all very happy to have you here, Maryse.” 

She smiled, though it dropped the moment it settled on Magnus. But that was probably because he was looking at her with an expression of pure hatred. Yeah, that was probably the reason. 

“Magnus -”

“Enough.” He interrupted, holding up a hand. “I’m going to be frank and say that I don’t have time to hear whatever lame apology you’ve created to make yourself feel better. I have one thing on my mind and that is rescuing Alec. Anything else holds no importance to me.”

Maryse’s face instantly dropped, guilt and regret clouding her features. Magnus himself almost felt a flash of guilt, but surely she was just putting on the act for the rest of the group? She dropped her head solemnly, as if scolded, and nodded. She glanced back once at Magnus before turning to Luke. “What’s the plan?”

“Well, first things first, we need to actually find where they’re holding Alec.” Jace pointed out, flopping down on the couch. 

Simon perked up. “I might be able to help with that. I can use the location of his phone to show the last place -” He stopped talking when an object came flying towards him. He caught it quickly and looked to Magnus, who had thrown it, in confusion. 

“Alexander’s phone.” He said simply. Simon visibly deflated, slumping into the couch beside Jace. 

“Well, now I’m out of ideas.”

Luke addressed the rest of the group, encouraging them to use their training to come up with a way in which they could find Alec. Many of them asked Magnus questions about the last time he saw him, when he left and where he said he was headed. Maia and Clary were all but ready to head down to the local grocery when Maryse spoke. Her tone was quiet, reserved, almost scared, something incredibly out of character for the usually loud, outspoken woman. “I know how to find my son.”

All eyes turned to Maryse in anticipation. Magnus too, sat forward in his chair to hear what she had to say. She moved more into the room, standing in the middle of the group. They had spread out over the living room, sitting on the floor and on the couches while they brainstormed. But the room was quiet, all waiting patiently to hear what she had to say. 

“I’m not proud of it, but each of my children have an implant embedded in the back of their necks.” Magnus watched Jace and Isabelle hesitantly reach to the spot, as if they would be able to feel it. “It was a safety mechanism I installed at birth, without telling your father. I wanted to know that when you were all grown up and on missions around the world, you were safe.” Shame exuded on her features, her shoulders hunching and her eyes dropping. Magnus had never once seen her stand so low. Maryse, the once proud agent, was standing before them as a mother. Just a mother, worried for the safety of her children. 

And for a moment, Magnus found his heart going out to her. 

“Alexander has a tracker in his neck as well, unbeknownst to him. I can easily locate him … I just need a laptop.” Clary practically flung Alec’s personal laptop at her, which was still sitting on the living room table. She muttered a shy apology at Maryse, who caught it with quick reflexes. 

True to her word, in no time at all she had pulled up Alec’s exact coordinates. They all huddled close around the screen as she worked, watching as she zoomed in on the map and the image cleared. 

“Croatia?” Maia exclaimed. “He could have taken him to the other side of the world, and he took him to Croatia?”

Magnus too was surprised. He assumed Alec would be somewhere on the other side of the globe, in some small box. But he was a mere four hours drive from them in -

“Is that the old _Petrova Gora_ monument?” Simon asked curiously. All heads whipped over to him. “Does no one else recognize it?” He was met with blank stares. “Um, well it was an old World War II monument, but it was abandoned in the 90’s, I guess. It’s basically just a sad reminder now, that sits on the top of the mountain.” 

“On the mountain?” Isabelle questioned. 

Simon nodded. “Yeah, it’s smack dab in the middle of one of the highest mountains in Croatia. It’s a huge tourist attraction. A lot of people hike up to take pictures of it but there are fences surrounding it to prevent you from actually entering.” 

Clary looked back down at the screen. The little red dot that represented Alec was sitting right on top of the monument. “Well, it certainly seems like someone figured out a way to get inside.”

“I don’t get it.” Magnus argued, shaking his head. “Why would Valentine, a man on the run, want to set up his base camp inside one of the biggest tourist attractions in Croatia? Isn’t that like painting a big target on your back?”

Isabelle bit her bottom lip, staring intently at the screen. “Mom, can I get a closer look at that?” Maryse stepped out of the way, and Isabelle slid into the seat in front of the computer. With a few clicks she brought the image even closer, clearing it up. Alec’s dot moved slightly, just below the monument. Isabelle grinned triumphantly. “Of course! That makes much more sense.” 

“Care to fill the rest of us in?” Luke probed gently. 

Isabelle turned the screen to them, proud smile on her face. “Alec isn’t being held inside the monument. That wouldn’t make sense, seeing as it’s a tourist destination and all. Valentine would know to choose a place where he wouldn’t be disturbed and where no one would hear -” she swallowed thickly, “- his victims being tortured.” She shook it off, returning to the screen. “This building is over fifty years old, but it’s still standing good as new which means it has a rock solid foundation. I’m going to take a guess that underneath this building is a labyrinth of tunnels and rooms.” 

“And you think Alec is being held in one of them?” Magnus asked, unable to control the excitement that crept into his voice. 

Isabelle nodded confidently. “I’m sure of it.” 

Luke clapped his hands. “Well done Isabelle, Maryse.” He nodded appreciatively at each of them. “Now, I hate to break it to you all, but that was the easy part. Valentine has no doubt created himself a fortress of death, and we need to find a way to get into it.”

“And out of it.” Simon added, unhelpfully. 

Luke nodded. “Everyone get a few hours of shut eye, you’re going to need it. As soon as we wake, we’re on the road to Croatia.” 

 

***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think? Only ONE chapter left (ahh!) to see what our super team can come up with! 
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> Let me know what you thought on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/insiemes) or down below in the comments! xx
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> Until next time, Angels! x


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus and the team infiltrate Valentine's lair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's here! The final official chapter for this fic! It's been a long time coming, but I hope that it's worth it. 
> 
> The rest of the story will be wrapped up in an epilogue that should be up shortly. I've updated the chapters accordingly. :) 
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> More blood, torture and violence in this one, so be careful reading please xx
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> Tag #eosfic if you're live tweeting! xx

A cold chill settled in Alec’s gut, freezing him from the inside out. 

“Y-you … no. No! You can’t have him. You can’t have Magnus!” He choked out, breath constricting in his throat. “He -” Alec’s mind rushed to come up with a logical solution, to confirm that what Valentine had said wasn’t true and Magnus hadn’t been captured by his men in Budapest. A reason why he should still be safe in the hotel, and that Valentine was just trying to get under his skin. 

But his mind supplied him with nothing. 

Because the truth was, without Alec there, Magnus was left on his own. Magnus was anything but defenseless, Alec had seen that first-hand on more than one occasion. He was smart and incredibly dangerous, but the reality of the situation was that he was only one man. He was alone. Alec had been the one assigned to protect him, but he had gotten lost in his own emotions and because of that mistake, Magnus was in grave danger. Alec knew that there was a slim chance Magnus was strong enough to fight off a whole team of trained henchmen and come out the other side alive. No one, not even Magnus, was _that_ good. 

A smile grew on Valentine’s face. It was the type of smile that Alec had quickly learned to fear. It meant the criminal knew something, _something_ that Alec did not. And most often, it was a piece of information that was armed to hurt him.

Valentine’s cruel eyes bore into Alec’s as he watched him come to the conclusion he was trying so hard to fight. “It’s all clicking into place, hm? You left your boyfriend all alone, defenseless. He was the perfect target for my assistants to grab. Magnus, while talented I will admit, is no match for my men. His capture was swift.” A gruesome grin lit up his face, “A polar opposite to his death, I’m afraid.” 

Alec thrashed in his restraints, desperate to get to the asshole. To get his hands around his throat and _squeeze_. He was wild with emotion, with fear. He wanted to watch the light of life drain from this man’s eyes, he wanted to make him suffer; a slow death because a bullet would be too easy. Valentine was talking about killing Magnus, killing the man he loved, as if he were merely discussing what he wanted for dinner. His disregard for human life - for _Magnus’_ life - filled Alec with a burning, untamed rage that coursed through his entire body like a flood. 

“Down, boy.” Valentine mocked, sick grin on his face. “I promise to make his death nice and slow. I’ll draw it out so that you can hear his screams from down the hall. It’ll make quite the soundtrack, don’t you think?” 

Alec was seeing red, his emotions flying out of control. He didn’t even attempt to try and control himself, screams of anger and frustration tearing from his throat. The only thing he could think clearly was ending the life of the man in front of him, and then his weasel son after that. 

Holding onto the hope that he would see Magnus again was the only thing keeping him sane throughout everything. But now that Magnus had been captured and was hours away from being in the same position as Alec himself, he couldn’t help but feel utterly and completely defeated. Hearing the criminal talk about the life of the man he loved as if it was merely nothing, hurt in a way Alec had never hurt before. 

Because a world without Magnus in it, wasn’t a world that Alec had any interest in living in.

But he would do all he could, anything, to try and save him. To save Magnus. Because it had become more than just a mission to him. It was more than a mission for a long time, Alec refusing to admit it to himself. He loved Magnus, and he would do anything to keep him safe.

Even if it meant sacrificing himself. 

“Please,” he begged, voice breaking harshly. He took a few breaths to calm himself, forcing the words out. “Please. Just - you have to let him go. You can keep me for as long as you want. Keep me here until I rot and die! But let Magnus go free. He doesn’t deserve this.” 

Valentine rolled his eyes. He regarded Alec, eyes roaming up and down his frame, with something akin to disgust. “Oh, but that is where you’re wrong.” Valentine goaded. “If anyone deserves this, it’s that rat, Bane. He deserves _everything_ that is coming to him and there is nothing you can do about it.” 

And Alec knew for certain in that moment that Valentine was right. Not about Magnus deserving torture, but about Alec’s helplessness when it came to rescuing him. To keeping him safe. Because Alec was trapped down here just as Magnus was about to be, held at the mercy of two sociopaths. He was in no position to get to Magnus, to protect him. He would be brought here and subjected to brutal torture, probably much worse than Alec’s own. Because while Alec was merely a pawn in this game, something for Valentine to amuse himself with while he passed the time, Magnus was the end goal. Valentine had wanted him from the beginning, filled with a vengeance for what Magnus had done to his enterprise all those years ago. And there was no way he was going to let him go once he got him. 

Alec let out a choked sob. “Please.” He begged, “please, I’ll do anything. Anything you want, just let him go.” Alec cried, tears streamed freely down his face, coating the grimy, bruised skin with the salty liquid. There was nothing he could do, nothing he could say, to save Magnus. 

His legs gave out and he sagged in his restraints, finally letting his body fall. His body hung, weight heavy on the shackles that gripped his wrists like a vice. He hardly felt the sharp pain of the chafe, or the dark lacerations from where the metal bit into his skin. He hung loose, like a rag doll with its strings cut, barely able to lift his head more than an inch. There was no fight left, nothing to keep him standing. Because Magnus was going to die, and it was going to be all his fault. 

“Look at him, father.” Jonathan laughed, sounding almost jolival. “I knew he would show his true colours sooner or later. Lightwoods, they always fall. They pretend to be high and mighty up on their pedestals, but they will always fall eventually.” Alec screwed his eyes shut, blocking out what he could. Blocking it all out. He couldn’t take any more. 

“Please. I - I can’t.”

Valentine crouched down so that he was eye to eye with Alec. He could smell the bitter, sour stench of his breath, and the sharpness of the sweat on his skin. His eyes were cold and unforgiving, staring straight into Alec’s, amusement lighting them. “Oh, Alexander. Haven’t you realized that we’re far from done with you yet?”

Jonathan stepped closer, rubbing his hands together with glee. He looked to his father for permission, and after a nod of approval he moved to stand directly in front of Alec. 

Mercifully, by some power above, Alec felt himself leave his body. He felt as if he was floating high, oblivious to the beating his body took. He could see it - the sharp jabs Jonathan was raining down upon him, but he could no longer feel it. Every punch, every kick, every brutal assault was nothing more than a vision. 

Alec briefly wondered if this was what dying felt like. 

 

***

 

Magnus spread out on the bench, playing idly with one of his rings as he listened to the chatter around him. 

The members of The Clave’s dream team - their self-identified name, though he had to admit they _were_ all pretty dreamy - were sat around him, bouncing ideas on the best way to rescue Alec. They had been given permission to use the official jet, the one he and Alec had taken to Purkersdorf. It had a few paired seats near the front, the back a series of couches, which the team was now spread across. 

They had been flying for a little less than an hour, but had gotten nowhere close to coming up with a solid plan. And if they went into Valentine’s lair with anything but a solid plan, they could kiss any hope of getting out of there alive goodbye. 

Magnus had been mostly listening for the majority of the conversation. He could see why this team was so special. They were each very talented in their own way, but when you put them together, they were unstoppable. Simon appeared to be the thinker of the group. He knew facts about almost anything, and was incredibly logistical when it came to planning. He spouted out facts and statistics, most of which were slightly annoying and no help to the mission, but were entertaining nonetheless. Jace was pure muscle. He had a mindset of going in guns blazing, fists raised. But he had a heart, and Magnus could see how much he cared for his team and for his brother in the ways he interjected his thoughts. Clary was the planner. She thought everything through, coming up with scenario after scenario. Her and Simon bounced off each other, working through a plan through to see if it was actually plausible. Clary also had a knack for technology, something she shared with both Isabelle and Simon. Maia, like Jace, was one of the more forceful members. She clearly wouldn’t hesitate for a fight, but she would never go in blind. She listened to each scenario put forth, and proposed a plan of action, usually involving taking out all the guards in some sort of way. She was passionate at least, Magnus would give her that. Luke was the leader. He kept the team together and on track, and it was easy to see that each of them respected and cared for him. He was tough, but gentle and gave them pushes of encouragement when they needed it. He was also a badass. Isabelle was the brains. She was as beautiful as she was smart, and had already shown that on many occasions. She had a side hobby of what appeared to be computer hacking, something that both frightened and impressed Magnus to no end. She was able to put a pin location on Alec from the tracker in his neck, and synced it to each of their cell phones, alerting them immediately if he was moved. 

And then there was Maryse. Magnus hadn’t quite decided what to make of her yet. She had made what appeared to be a complete and total personality change since he had last seen her, but he couldn’t figure out what was part of the act. Because he was sure there had to be an act somewhere. She seemed genuinely hurt at the loss of her son, and was as motivated as the rest of the them to try and find him. But there was something that was holding Magnus back from trusting her fully.

Magnus unlocked his phone for what felt like the thousandth time, staring at the blinking red dot that represented Alec. Ever since Isabelle had put it on his phone, he’d been checking it near constantly. But it always stayed in the same place, blinking, as if connected to Alec’s heartbeat. It was a reminder that Alec was still alive, that he was still there. A few times, he had let his mind slip and wondered if there was a chance that this could all be for naught. That they could break into the lair and Alec would already be gone.

But he knew. Magnus somehow _knew_ that Alec was alive. He would know if something happened to him. If his heart stopped beating, Magnus found it likely his own would as well. 

He tried not to think too hard about the state they would find the protector in, should they make it into the lair. He knew the depths of Valentine’s techniques for torture and knew he would stop at nothing to inflict pain, holding Alec on the edge on sanity while pushing him closer to pit of insanity. He just hoped beyond hope that Alec was okay, that he knew deep down, subconsciously, that they were all coming to rescue him. 

“Earth to Magnus.” He snapped up, eyes leaving his phone to find Clary looking at him inquisitively. 

“Sorry, biscuit. What were you saying?” 

She smiled fondly at the nickname. Magnus had only known the redhead for about twelve hours, but he already liked her. “I was just asking if you had any ideas for the mission. You’re the expert here, after all.” 

Magnus raised an eyebrow. “The expert? _Hardly_. You all are much more qualified than I.” 

Simon shook his head, shrugging. “She’s right. You’ve lived in the shadows for years. Hardly anyone knows anything about you, not even The Clave, and you have completed countless jobs without leaving a trace. If anyone knows how to sneak into arguably the most secure lair in the world, it’s you.”

They all looked at him. Magnus could see hope in their eyes, a spark turning to a flame. And he couldn’t put that out. He couldn’t tell them that he only lived that way because he’d been terrified. That he’d had nightmares about the day he faced Valentine again, always covering his tracks so that the criminal wouldn’t find him first. It wasn’t a pleasant way to live, always checking over your shoulder and never putting trust in anyone. It was lonely and gruesome work, but it had become his life. He had gotten used to it. 

But it had been months since he’d lived that way. And he wasn’t sure if he wanted to delve too far back into that headspace.

Magnus sat forward, placing his elbows on his knees. He shook his head, making contact with them all. “If you say I’m the expert, fine. I’ve lived my life in the shadows and know how to navigate through them. But, I also know Valentine. I know how he functions.” He was met with a few surprised faces, but he shook his head again. The only face who wasn’t surprised of course, was Maryse. She looked down in shame. “I won’t get into it now, but the bastard and I have a past. And if I learned anything during that time, it’s that we won’t be able to sneak in undetected.”

Maia crossed her arms over her chest. “Oh, so I suppose you think we’re going to be able to walk right in the front door?” The sarcasm was evident in her tone. 

“Actually, yes. We are.” Magnus confirmed, continuing. “I believe that we should go with my original plan, but make some modifications because I am no longer a team of one. We let Valentine capture me, while the rest of you walk right into the lair, and get what we want.” He was immediately met with cries of outrage and denial. Isabelle was looking at him like he’d grown a second head. Jace was spewing curses, telling Magnus he was suicidal for ever thinking it would work. Simon gave him the statistics for survival, all incredibly low. 

Luke called out to the group, silencing their protests. “Enough!” He demanded. He met Magnus’ eyes, nodding once. “You all asked the man for his ideas, and as soon as he gives one, you shut it down. Give him a damn second to explain himself before objecting, at least.” 

They all looked down guiltily, as if children scorned by a parent. Magnus sent an appreciative nod to the leader, who nodded back. 

Magnus stood up, pacing the small area of the plane. “I know it sounds crazy, but I have a good feeling this will work. After all,” he continued. “I’m not going in alone this time.” He looked at each of them in turn, until every member of the team had given them their full attention. They listened with rapt as he outlined the plan he had been forming in his head for the past few hours, each detail precise and thought out. He had run through scenario after scenario, tweaking and fixing it each time. When he ran it through and got caught, he would run it through again, and again and again. 

Until he had a plan in which every member of their team, including Alec, made it out alive. 

When he was finished, the jet remained eerily silent. The only sound was the rush of wind from the outside of the aircraft. Magnus lounged back into his seat, waiting for each of them to digest what he had just laid on them. It was a lot, he knew that. He also knew it was dangerous - incredibly so - and not everyone would be willing. But he had confidence in the amount this group cared for Alec, and he hoped that above all would outweigh all else. 

He could see Clary and Simon speaking through eye contact, most likely trying to work it out. Maia and Jace looked doubtful, contemplative looks on their faces. Luke’s expression was impossible to read. But Isabelle, she looked proud. She smiled at Magnus when his eyes made contact with hers. He was even sure he saw a tear in her eye. 

Simon was the first to speak. “Holy shit.” Luke raised his eyes, gesturing impatiently for him to continue. “I - I think this might work.”

Clary nodded, excited. “He’s right. It’s a huge risk, but it has a really high chance of working.” She looked at Magnus, blinding smile on her face. “You did it.”

Jace still didn’t look convinced. “Well, he hasn’t done anything yet. We still have to actually go through with it.” He shook his head. “Like you said Clary, it’s a huge risk. There are so many opportunities where people could get hurt - or killed.”

Magnus stared him right in the eye. “Is Alec not worth that?” 

“Of course he is!” Jace shouted. “But I don’t think he’d want his entire family rushing into their deaths just to save him.” 

Magnus laughed, humourless, and shook his head. “I don’t have a family, but even I know that you would do anything, risk anything, for those you love. That you would not hesitate to lay your life down in the name of protecting them” He stated bitterly. The word _protect_ wasn’t lost on any of them. “If I have learned anything about Alec, it’s that he would give his life over and over for those he cares about. He almost did it for me, as I’m sure he’s done for you in the past.” No one spoke, but Magnus could see in their faces that he was right. “And if saving Alexander means risking my own life in the process, I will not hesitate for a moment to go through with it. Because if we don’t, if we do nothing, he will die. And I’m sure as hell not going to let that happen.” 

Once again, the plane went silent. No one seemed to know what to say.

Maryse was the one this time to break the silence. “You should all take something from Mr. Bane here.” She started, looking at the group. She stood tall and addressed the group, the picture of the proud leader that she was. “He alone embodies everything we strive to be as an organization. He is willing to lay his life down in the name of protecting the innocent, and that is something we need to admire.” She looked at Magnus, dark eyes pleading. “Magnus, I am so very sorry for the pain I caused you in the past. I can never repay that hurt to you, or what I took. But I hope one day, you can find it in your heart to forgive me for my mistakes.” She smiled, sad. “You’ve become a wonderful, strong man. A leader. And I am so very grateful to have you leading the team to save my son.” She looked to Luke, smiling softly and shrugged. “Sorry Lucian, but you’ve officially been demoted.”

Luke chuckled, holding up his hands. “Fine by me. Magnus is the expert, as clearly displayed by that badass plan and even more badass speech.” He smiled widely at Magnus. “This team is yours, son.” 

What a turn of events this conversation had taken. Magnus was having a hard time keeping up. From Jace’s outburst, to Maryse’s heartfelt apology, to his promotion? Magnus felt dizzy. 

But he also felt pride. Because everyone, including Jace, was looking at him expectantly, awaiting orders. Isabelle winked at him, grinning. “What’s the plan, boss?”

Magnus nodded, collecting his thoughts. “Alright, here’s what we’re going to need …”

 

***

 

A few months ago, if someone had told Magnus he would be where he was, he would have laughed right in their face and told them that they were insane. 

If he had been told that he’d be working with one of his sworn enemies, to confront the man who stole his childhood and save the man he loved (who also happened to work for his original enemy), he simply never, ever would have believed it. That was far too many ememies for Magnus’ liking. 

Yet here he was. 

Magnus stood in front of the Petrova Gora monument, looking up at the structure in awe. It had been taken by time, that was for sure, but it still looked breathtaking in the setting sun. Just as Simon had said, it was located atop one of the highest mountains in Croatia, gleaming above the rolling countryside. The monument had once been covered in a shield of gleaming steel, but now large pieces were missing, taken out by foragers and the elements, turning the monument into a barren, hollow reminder of what it had once been. 

They had delved deep into the history of the monument once they found out that was where Alec was being held. They scanned blueprints and databases, trying to familiarize themself with everything they would need to know. The monument had apparently taken over a decade to construct, but only stood another decade until it was abandoned. While it was functional, the inside had been a museum, detailing the great victory of the people of Slavonia. They hadn’t been able to find the original use for the tunnels below, but Simon had a theory that they had been for storage, at one time. 

Magnus looked up, taking in the beauty once more. He was still far enough away that he couldn’t be seen from the inside, but knew it was only a matter of time before someone noticed him. He looked at the beautiful structure, wondering how someone could take something so magnificent and turn it into something so ugly. How Valentine could take this once proud reminder of victory, and turn it into a place of torture and pain. 

“Magnus, you there?” Isabelle’s voice was soft in his ear, through the earpiece. 

“Looking at the monument as we speak, darling. It’s quite beautiful.”

He could hear the smile in her voice. “It is, isn’t it?” Magnus knew that the rest of the team was in position, ready. They were all waiting on him. 

He let out a long breath, before nodding. “Alright, team. Everyone ready? Once we go in, there’s no going back.”

Isabelle spoke first, calm and sure. “Ready.” Clary followed, and then Jace, Simon, Maia and Luke. 

“Maryse?” Magnus asked, searching for confirmation from the woman. 

There was a pause before his earpiece crackled to life, Maryse coming online. “Let’s get my boy back.” Magnus nodded, smiling despite the nerves he was feeling. They were ready. They were going to get Alec. 

“Okay, I’m going in. I’ll see you all on the inside.” Magnus shut off his earpiece and tucked it in his pocket, for he knew he wouldn’t be needing it anymore. Once he was captured, they would surely take it from him anyway. 

He walked the cracked concrete path to the monument, scanning for any movement near the windows and doors. The monument loomed before him, looking bigger and bolder with every step he took. 

Magnus tried to calm the erratic beating in his chest, heart pounding against his sternum like it was trying to escape. He tried to tell himself that this was just another mission, just another kill but even he couldn’t convince himself that was true. This one was different. The stakes were higher - much higher - and this time, Magnus had something to lose. 

Something he had always prided himself with was being able to separate his emotions from his work, of never having fear when he went into a job. And it was easy. Because how can you fear, if you have nothing worth enough to be taken? 

But now, this time, Magnus had more than something to lose. He had Alec. His Alexander. What if something went wrong? What if they slipped up and somehow lost him? Or Valentine realized how much Alec meant to him, and killed him before they could save him? There was too much that could go wrong, too much that could end up hurting Alec. 

But that was outweighed by the need to have him back, to remove him from the clutches of evil. And so Magnus channeled his fear into focus. He would use his fear and let it guide him, drive him - drive them, to victory. 

He continued his walk up the path to the monument, each step taking him closer to Alec. Each step taking him closer to Valentine. His anxiety grew. He knew the next part of the plan involved his capture, he knew he had to be taken into the clutches of Valentine’s men, but it didn’t stop the pit of worry that settled in his stomach. He wished he had kept his earpiece in a little longer, if only to hear to comforting encouragements from the team. 

Magnus was about fifty yards from the building when he saw the first signs of movement. Up near the top, in what used to be a viewing platform, a gunman stood at attention. He saw the rifle before he saw the gunman, the firearm aimed right at him. But he knew they wouldn’t shoot. Valentine wanted him, and he wanted him alive. 

More men stood at attention, stationed in the bushes and in the windows of the monument. He saw their shared looks of confusion and surprise, allowing a smirk to cross his face. Magnus had been evading them for decades, hiding in the shadows and escaping there grasp. Yet here he was, waltzing up to their front door, empty handed. That had been something Magnus had been counting on. 

In minutes he was surrounded, countless men in black apparel circling him from all sides. They moved closer, wary. They had probably been warned, he thought to himself, letting a satisfied chuckle out. Valentine knew that Magnus was capable, and probably warned his men as such. But he wouldn’t be taking any of them out, at least not yet. 

That particular pleasure was being saved for later. 

One of the goons grabbed his wrists, tying them tight behind his back while another frisked him for weapons. Magnus rolled his eyes, spreading his legs dramatically. “Well, hello gentlemen. Nice to meet you, too.” They, obviously, showed no reaction. Whatever. If Magnus had to be caught, he would do it his way. 

Magnus was led (roughly, he should note) into the building. The inside looked as desolate, if not worse, than the outside. He could see that this place was once beautiful, but time and the elements had taken that beauty away. His feet lay on a threadbare carpet, torn up at the edges and encrusted with decades of dirt. The walls were crumbling around him, light streaming in from the many holes. Furniture was strewn about, falling apart and covered in a sheet of dust that told Magnus no one had used it in a very long time. 

The goons pushed him passed all of that though, not giving him time to marvel in the decay. They shoved him towards a winding staircase that led so far down below ground that he could not see the bottom. He didn’t have long to hesitate through, a rough hand pushing at his back, causing him to trip down the first few stairs. 

As they descended the staircase, Magnus felt the chill creeping in. Both from the lack of heat below ground and the fear settling into his bones. He was getting closer to Alec, but he was also getting closer to Valentine. Not for the first time, Magnus sent a silent prayer to whoever was out there that this plan would not fail. Because an eternity of living in this hell hole, 75 storeys below ground, was not an appealing one. 

They moved further and further down, each time set of stairs taking them to a new level. It was like being in a skyscraper, but instead of going up, Magnus was going down, down, down. Each time they reached a new landing, Magnus thought they would stop, that they were at their destination, only to be pushed towards another staircase. He imagined Alec taking this same route, and wondered if he had been scared as well. If his hands shook in the restraints, and fear gripped his heart like a vice. If he had seen the endless set of stairs spanning out below him, and had wondered if he’d ever see the light of day again. 

After what seemed like hours, and Magnus was sure his legs were going to give out if he had to climb down one more set of stairs, they finally reached the bottom. Out of breath, he let out a dramatic sigh. “You’d think with all the money Valentine has, he’d invest in an elevator for this place.” The goons remained emotionless. “You all must be in very good shape. Walking up those stairs, seems very good for the quads.” Magnus grinned, masking the fear in his voice. “I wouldn’t want to be in a FitBit challenge with any of you.”

Not even a smirk. It made Magnus hate them just a little bit more. Everyone laughed at his jokes at some point or another. He had even gotten Maryse to smirk on the plane ride over, and that was a feat in itself. 

The goons lead him through a series of hallways. Magnus did his best to memorize the route, but quickly lost track of where he was. He’d need to get out eventually, but hopefully the rest of the team was already working on that, and he could simply follow them out. 

They turned down another hallway, this one with a dead end. It was a long hallway, doors lining the sides. Magnus wondered what was behind each one. Were there people, like Alec, innocent and simply in the wrong place and the wrong time? They were all closed, except for one right at the beginning of the hallway, closest to Magnus. He knew before they even turned him towards it, that this was where he would be held. He quickly took inventory of the door; solid structure, probably made of steel or iron. It had a thick bolt lock that could only be accessed from the outside and walls that looked to be about five feet thick. 

A pretty solid cell, there was no doubt. But also, not totally inescapable. 

The goons were just about to push him into the cell when Magnus heard a scream echoing down the hallway. It was a scream of pain, a call for help from someone who had clearly been screaming for a while. Magnus had heard his fair share of screams in his career, from panicked, to pained, to fearful, inflicting many of them himself. But never had he heard such a raw, pained noise coming from a human. Begging, pleading for help, for release. Panic gripped him, and his heart froze as he heard it again. Because the scream was heinous, but at least it came with a silver lining. 

He had found Alec. 

 

***

 

Valentine watched on, while his son took Alec apart piece by piece. He watched Jonathan’s methodical torture, watched the pain he was inflicting with every slice and blow. He listened to the screams he was tearing from Alec’s throat, the cries for mercy and smiled, as if listening to his favourite song. Jonathan too, seemed to be playing it up for his father. While Alec had naively believed he had survived the worst of it, it had seemed that Jonathan was just getting started. There was a new energy behind the assaults, and he seemed to be spurred on by every scream, every cry drawn from Alec. 

But as much as the pain was overwhelming, as much as it consumed every nerve ending in his body, Alec’s mind was somewhere else. His mind was in a cell somewhere, deep below the ground or perhaps just down the hall, with Magnus. His mind was wondering if Magnus was enduring the same torture as him, if he had hurt as Alec was. 

His panic was alleviated though by the fact that both Valentine and Jonathan were still in _his_ cell, and not Magnus’. The two of them were beating on him together, which meant Magnus was okay, at least for the time being. He could be with another guard, of course, but Alec had a hard time believing that anyone was worse than the two men in front of him. 

Jonathan delivered a particularly harsh blow to Alec’s temple that had him seeing stars. It took him a few moments to orient himself, and stop the cell from spinning around him. When the ringing in his ears subsided, he saw both men looking at him expectantly. 

Alec spat the blood from his mouth. “Take a fucking picture. It’ll last longer.”

Valentine shook his head, clicking his tongue as he walked towards Alec. He pushed Jonathan aside, waving him away as if an annoying fly. He observed Alec with a steady gaze, assessing the minefield of injuries that his body had become. “Now Alec, that’s no way to speak to your gracious hosts, is it?” 

“You need to work on your hospitality a tad.” Alec growled. “Maybe start with not stringing your guests up like dried meat. It would help your reviews immensely.” He was rewarded with a sharp slap to his cheek, Valentine having drawn the back of his hand against Alec’s skin. 

Valentine shrugged, calmly as if he hadn’t just lashed out. “To each his own.” Alec rolled his eyes, ignoring the pain he felt when he did so. “Though, I would suggest being a little more amicable, Lightwood. Especially if you want to see your precious hitman anytime soon.” 

Alec froze, sure he must have heard Valentine incorrectly. He could feel his heart beating against the cage of his chest, but tried to quell it. Were they offering what he thought they were? Or were they simply dangling another carrot in front of his face, only to tear it away when he lunged for it?

Despite himself, Alec let himself hope. 

“I can see him?” He asked, practically begged, hating the weakness in his voice. Valentine knew Alec’s weakness and he was exploiting it to get exactly what he wanted, that Alec knew, but he hardly cared. There was a chance he could see Magnus and that was the only thought on rotation inside his head. 

Valentine shrugged, casual as ever, as though his answer wasn’t the only thing keeping Alec from tipping over the edge of insanity. As if his answer wasn’t the lifeline Alec clung desperately to, keeping him afloat. He took his time deliberating, keeping Alec on the edge. Teasing him. 

Alec was sure that he was about to explode when Valentine finally spoke. “If I decide so, maybe you can see your hitman.” The criminal finally settled on, impassive. Alec nodded, heart clutched tight in his chest. If he was going to die in this hellhole, he damn well sure wasn’t going to do it without seeing Magnus one more time. He let his mind wander to a place he had forbade it to since his capture; being reunited with Magnus. He imagined the other man running in, embracing Alec and telling him that it was all going to be okay, their fight long forgotten. How Magnus would brush the hair out of his face and kiss the bruises that littered his cheeks, before kissing him softly on the mouth. He could practically see Magnus’ smile as he pulled away from the kiss, soft in the way that it crinkled his eyes. Alec’s favourite smile. He needed to see Magnus, needed it more than he needed air. Biologically he knew that was impossible, but his heart told him that it was. He had never before felt this want, this _need_ to be with someone. To make sure they were safe. It was similar to the feeling he got when protecting his family, but somehow stronger. 

Yes, Alec definitely needed to see Magnus. Much more than he needed air. 

He was about to resort to begging when Valentine stopped his pacing and stood tall right in front of Alec. He had a wicked grin on his face, one that matched the one his son wore behind his shoulder. “Though, I’m not too sure he wants to see you right now.” 

“He will.” Alec promised quickly. “He’ll want to see me, I swear. Just tell him that I’m here, and he’ll want to see me.” He was almost desperate with his pleading, begging Valentine to understand. Magnus would forget their fight ever happened as soon as he saw Alec, he was sure of it. Because their fight meant nothing in comparison to what they had undergone at the hands of these bastards. 

Jonathan took that moment to step forward, standing tall beside his father. “Oh, but we’ve already asked him, Lightwood.” He laughed, cold and evil. “He said, and I quote, ‘I want nothing to do with him. I’d rather be tortured’.” 

“You’re lying. Magnus would never say that.” Would he?

“I don’t think you know him as well as you convinced yourself you do.” Jonathan taunted. 

“I do. I know Magnus. He would never say that.” Did he? Alec couldn’t help the small seed of doubt growing at the back of his mind. He thought he knew Magnus, when in reality he knew almost nothing about who he was. Spending a few months together was nothing, especially when Magnus was so guarded with himself and his past. 

Magnus was kind, sweet, strong, fierce, resourceful and astute. He liked his coffee with far too much sugar and cream and liked to sleep with the windows closed. He slept in whenever he got the chance, and always took a long time to get ready. He made the best belgium waffles, and always topped them with fresh fruit and whipped cream. But those things were all superficial. 

Alec knew nothing of his fears, his dreams, his life. He knew nothing of what Magnus wanted to be before he became a hitman, or what he wanted for his future. 

When it came down to it, Alec didn’t know Magnus as well as he thought he did. 

But Magnus telling his childhood abusers that he would rather be abused by them then see Alec? He tried to push it away, but the seed grew, sprouting thoughts into his mind and causing Alec to reexamine his entire relationship with Magnus. 

Valentine and Jonathan watched Alec unravel in front of them, satisfied smirks on their faces. Alec was crumbling, for the last time, and they could see that they had finally broken him. But it was the look on Jonathan’s face that told Alec they weren't quite done with him yet. 

Which is why the pain was lessened to a dull throb when he heard the next words the demon spoke. 

“You let him down, Alec. Why would he ever want to see you? You were sent to protect him and instead brought him right into the lion’s den.” He shrugged. “Though you have a habit of that, of letting people down. Don’t you?”

Alec was almost scared to ask, but he needed to know. “What do you mean?” He croaked, barely lifting his head. 

Jonathan got right in his face, moving his own so that he was inches away from Alec. “You let Magnus down, just like you did your little brother, Max, all those years ago.”

 

***

 

Magnus almost let out a laugh when the guard delivered a punch to his abdomen. Though it could be hardly considered a punch. The guard was scared of him, that much was obvious, from the timid way he danced around Magnus, never getting close enough to deliver a blow with any real force behind it. Even strung up as he was, arms and legs completely shackled with no way to move his limbs, the guard refused to come within hitting distance. 

Magnus smirked. He could work with that. 

“What’s wrong, darling? I won’t bite.” He purred seductively, baiting the man closer. “Unless you ask nicely, then maybe I’ll consider it.” 

The goon’s expression turned sour, and he crossed his arms over his chest in defiance. But Magnus didn’t miss the infinitesimal flick of his eyes towards the cell door. It was small, but it was there, further confirming the guard’s fear. He tapped his fingers restlessly against his bicep, examining Magnus from his spot of safety by the door. 

“Well, clearly dear old Val has been talking about me, hm?. Did he tell you about that time I sliced someone’s head right off their neck with a piece of chicken wire? Or that I know approximately thirty four ways to kill a man with my bare hands?” The colour drained from the goon’s face at a comically quick rate, making Magnus smirk. The first statement had been a lie, but it got the reaction he wanted. This guard was clearly here to keep him occupied until the big guns arrived. 

Magnus wasn’t going to let it get that far. 

“Oh darling, no need to be scared. You haven’t given me a reason to kill you … yet.” He put emphasis on the last word, smiling sweetly at the guard. The poor man looked to be on the state of panic, unsure of whether to run or to call for backup. 

He surprised Magnus by reaching down to his belt where a glock was strapped. Magnus had thought for sure this man would be too scared to move, but clearly he had other plans. That was fine by Magnus, for it meant that he could execute his own plan a little sooner than he had expected to.

Magnus quickly turned his hands inward, angling the emerald ring on his finger towards the chains. With a quick tap, a bright light shone from the stone, emitting a laser which sliced easily through the metal as though it were butter. He’d gained quite a new respect for the Clave over the past few months, but he had to admit, their technology was out of this world. He reminded himself to ask Isabelle if he could keep this ring when the mission was over. 

Once his hands were free, he made quick work of the shackles around his ankles, until he was left standing in the middle of the cell with his hands on his hips, small grin on his face. The guard looked, quite honestly, like he was about to wet his pants. He cowered in the corner, his hand was closed over the hilt of his gun. But he was so frozen with fear that he made no move to remove it, eyes trained on Magnus as though he was a wild animal, waiting to pounce. 

He walked casually around the cell, moving closer to the guard with each step he took. He could see the man shrink back into the wall, as if wishing it would pull him through to the other side. To safety. Magnus held up his hand, fluttering his fingers to examine the jewels on them. “It’s quite marvelous, isn’t it?” He got no response, though he wasn’t really expecting one. “That The Clave managed to put a fully functional laser inside this tiny little jewel.” Magnus pondered closer, holding his hand in front of him as he approached the guard. “I've never tried it, but I’m sure this tiny laser could melt a human skull in seconds. What do you think?” 

“I- I was just following orders.” The guard stammered, back pressed fully against the wall. Magnus almost felt bad for him. Almost. 

He reached out, placing a hand on the man’s cheek. He quivered under Magnus’ touch, screwing his eyes shut tight. “I know you were, darling. But so were the soldiers under the command of Adolf Hitler, and we all know how that ended, hm?” With one last sweet smile, Magnus pressed his fingers into the back of the man’s neck, effectively rendering him unconscious. He caught him as he fell, setting him down against the wall. 

He was right when he said this man hadn’t given him a reason to kill him. But a little headache and some confusion when he woke seemed perfectly justified, if not reasonable in Magnus’ opinion. 

Magnus made quick work of emptying the guards pockets and belts, grabbing most importantly the gun and the set of keys. He also was delighted to find the earpiece they had taken off of him upon his arrival. Slipping it into his ear, he quickly activated it. Instantly his ear flooded with chatter from his team, many of them wondering about his whereabouts. 

“Surprise bitches. Bet you thought you’d seen the last of me.” 

He was met with a chorus of shouts, all relieved. “Magnus! Are you alright?” Isabelle asked, relief evident in her voice. 

“Good as new, love. Though I can’t say the same for my guard here. I think I’ve given the poor chap lifelong nightmares.” 

Isabelle sighed, letting out a small chuckle but reminded Magnus that was the least of their worries. She slipped back into business mode. “Did the ring work?” 

“Sure did. It cut through the metal as though it were paper.” He nodded, standing up. “I’m about to try the door now.” 

“Be careful, Magnus.” Simon parroted in his ear. “Once you open that cell, there’s no going back.” Simon was with Clary and Maia on the perimeter of the lair. Their job had been to infiltrate the security center and take out whatever guards were manning it. From there, they could monitor the cameras and be the eyes for Jace, Magnus and Isabelle when they went in. 

“I think we’re already passed the point of no return, don’t you, Sheldon?” Simon let out a small nervous chuckle. 

“I’d say we are, yeah.” 

Magnus faced the door in front of him. It was big, and he knew it was thick, but he didn’t doubt the genius of Isabelle Lightwood. She had designed the ring he was wearing herself and if she said it could cut through any material easily, he believed her. 

“Jace, Isabelle. What’s your location?” The timing of the next part was crucial. Magnus knew that there was a team of guards standing outside his cell, and he wasn’t naive enough to think he could take them all out at once. Which meant that Isabelle and Jace needed to arrive at the exact time he opened the door, the three of them taking the guards at once. 

“We’re at the mouth of your hallway. First cell on the left, right?” Jace murmured. His voice was low, whispering into his earpiece so as not to alert the guards of his presence. 

“How many are we looking at?”

“Six.” Isabelle confirmed. “And then six more down at the end of the hall.” 

Magnus’ stomach lurched painfully. He took a moment to control his breathing before he continued. “That’s Alec. At the end of the hall, it’s him. I … heard him.” 

The ear piece was silent, the entire team taking in the information. They all knew what Magnus meant. Maryse was the first one to speak up. “Let’s go team. I want my son out of there before those bastards do anything worse to him.” Her words were filled with passion and motivated them all into action. 

Magnus activated the ring, aiming it towards the metal lock on the inside of the door. It was quiet, hopefully quiet enough so that it wouldn’t alert the guards of what he was up to. The element of surprise would be on their side for this one, and Magnus wanted every moment he could get. 

With a small click, the lock snapped in half, leaving the door unlocked. Magnus closed his eyes, allowing himself a moment to collect himself. To think of what lay ahead. 

When he was ready, he pulled the gun from the holster. “Now.” He whispered. 

The next few minutes flew by in a blur. Magnus kicked the door open, met with six surprised faces. Their surprise only began though, as Isabelle and Jace whirled around the corner, each taking a guard. The two closest to him rushed at Magnus, drawing their guns. He quickly let off two shots of his own, nailing each guard in the thigh not wasting a second as they fell to the ground. The two remaining guards seemed to realize that Magnus was more of a threat and came after him together, though more cautiously than their comrades. The bigger of the two goons circled to Magnus’ left, the other to his right. They both smirked, clearly thinking they had caught him in a trap with nowhere to run. 

Silly, silly little henchmen. 

The smaller one lunged for Magnus at the same time as the bigger one tried to grab him from behind. Magnus was quick to evade both of them, ducking at the exact moment of impact and causing the two of them to slam into each other. But they weren’t done yet. 

They roughly got up off the ground, pushing towards Magnus. He jumped to the side, at the same time as he grabbed the shoulder of the smaller henchman, bringing his knee up as he brought the man’s head down. With a crunch, the man toppled to the ground unconscious, blood spurting from his nose. 

The big one was the only guard left, Isabelle and Jace having finished off their own and moved towards the ones by Alec’s cell. A quick look showed Magnus they had the situation handled and it wouldn’t be long before they had access. 

“I know you.” The guard taunted. “I remember you.” 

Magnus looked closer at the man, his features slowly becoming more familiar. He was once one of Valentine’s lower henchman, when Magnus had been a part of the organization. Magnus remembered recruiting him, finding him in some shady dive bar beating on drunks. He had clearly moved up the ranks some since then, if he was allowed to guard Valentine’s most valuable prisoner. 

Magnus shot the man a wink. “I’m hard to forget.” 

“You were a traitor. You sold out the boss.” He shook his head. “For what? The respect of The Clave?” He scoffed. “They’re nothing. They don’t actually care about you. They are just using you to get their precious golden boy back. I’m sure as soon as they have him, they’ll throw you to the wolves just like they did last time.” He took a menacing step towards Magnus. “These people here -” he gestured to the men at his feet, “you’re just like us. This is who you belong with.” 

The henchman took another step towards Magnus, drawing his gun. And for the first time in his life, Magnus froze. Whether it was because of what the man had said, or some other reason, he stood stock still, unable to move while the man drew his weapon. 

He raised the firearm, placing it right against Magnus’ forehead. The only thing Magnus could do was close his eyes. “Any last words, pretty boy?”

Magnus waited for the sound of the gunshot, for everything to turn black, but it never came. It wasn’t until he heard a thud and the pressure of the gun was removed from his head that he opened his eyes. 

The guard was laying at his feet, the end of Isabelle’s silver whip wrapped around his throat, pulled tight. He was struggling to get loose, but she held firm. “For your information, _pretty boy_ ,” she seethed, pulling tighter. “Magnus is one of us. He’s got more good in him than you have in your pinky finger. And we’re taking him with us when we leave this shit hole you call a lair.” 

The guard grappled at the whip around his neck, but his movements started to slow, his grip weakening. Isabelle didn’t look like she wanted to let up, pulling tighter. Magnus gently reached over and removed the whip from her hand, loosening the tie. The guard had long since passed out, but Isabelle didn’t need his blood on her hands. 

“Thank you.” Magnus murmured, sending the two of them a grateful glance. “I - just … thank you.”

Isabelle shrugged. “My brother saw something special in you. It’s not hard for us to see it too.” 

Jace nodded. “And I hope you know that nothing that he said was true. We’re not going to leave you here.” 

Magnus nodded back. “I know. Thank you.” He cleared his throat, surveying the guards at their feet. They wouldn’t be unconscious for long, so they needed to move fast. “Let’s go get him.”

They quickly moved down the hall, hugging the wall until they made it to Alec’s cell. He wasn’t screaming - Magnus sent a silent prayer of thanks. He wouldn’t be able to keep it together if all he could hear was Alec screaming out, in pain. 

“Simon, what are we looking at?” Magnus demanded. 

Clary spoke up. “We - we don’t have access to this cell. We have feed for all of the others but it’s as if this one has been tampered with. Simon’s trying to get in now.” 

Jace shook his head. “So we’re going in blind?”

Isabelle was looking intently at the door, lip between her teeth. Magnus could practically see the gears turning in her head. She was coming up with a plan, but unfortunately they didn’t have time to kill. 

“Iz, what are you thinking?” Jace prodded his sister gently. She shooed him off, turning to Magnus. 

“You have Clave technology on you right? From the safe house?” Magnus didn’t even have time to try and come up with a lie before she was shaking her head. “I did inventory of that house after you and Alec left. I get notified anytime anything is removed.” 

Magnus sheepishly removed the technology from a pocket in his jacket that he had sewn, the contents inside small enough that they went undetected. He had grabbed more than knives from that first safehouse he and Alec had visited, but purely out of curiosity’s sake. 

He held the three silver balls out to her, unsure. She grabbed them quickly, grinning triumphantly. “Yes! I was hoping you would have these ones.” Instantly she turned on her earpiece. “Clary, get the coms connected to these listening devices. Whatever is going on in that room, I have a feeling we’re all going to need to hear it.” 

She crouched down, clicking a button on the biggest of the silver spheres, until it flashed green. The one with the light stuck to the middle of the door, where the other two attached to the sides. Once the last one was in place, she gave Clary the go-ahead. 

Instantly, the crackle of the team faded from Magnus’ ear and was replaced by a voice that chilled him to the bone. A voice he hadn’t heard in a long, long time. 

“Does the guilt of his death still haunt you? Do you lose sleep, thinking that if you had just been a better agent, a better brother, he would be alive right now?” Valentine was taunting Alec, torturing him with a death from his past. His heart hurt thinking about the pain Alec must be in, both physical and emotional. He wanted so badly to break down the door and kill the demon right in that moment, but knew they needed to wait. They needed to wait for the perfect time to strike. 

“He was killed under your watch. You were solely responsible for him, and you let him die.” Valentine continued to push, continued to tear at Alec. 

“No.” Alec rasped. Hearing his voice, so broken and small, tore at Magnus’ heart, breaking it into tiny pieces. What had they done to him, that the once proud Alec Lightwood felt cowered and broken? Magnus wanted to kill them. The need to make them pay for what they had done thrummed in his veins, but he forced himself to hold back. 

Alec continued, pushing the words out even though they sounded pained. “You don’t know what happened. It - we were ambushed.” 

“I know exactly what happened, Alec. You were on mission with your little brother, his first mission, if I recall correctly. It was supposed to be an easy one, with you tagging along to help him out. But you were ambushed. A group of rogue agents came for you, the last of my men putting up a fight. You held them off, proud of yourself when you knocked the last one down. But you forgot about him, didn’t you? You forgot about your brother, too caught up in your own glory.”

“No,” Alec pleaded, sobbing this time. “That’s not what happened. Max was -”

“He was attacked by an agent while you had your back turned.” Valentine finished for him, sounding almost gleeful. “You thought you had stopped the last of them but you turned around just in time to see the blade go through your little brother’s chest.” 

Isabelle had her hand over her mouth, tears falling freely down her face. Jace sat silently beside her, hand squeezing her shoulder until his knuckles turned white. Magnus could feel tears welling in his own eyes as well. He had never known there was another Lightwood child, though this was not the way he had wanted to find out. 

“I tried to save him.” Alec sobbed. “I tried - I tried to save him.” 

“But you couldn’t.” This voice didn’t belong to Valentine. It was one he didn’t recognize. And he could see from the confusion on their faces that Jace nor Isabelle recognized him either. “Just like you couldn’t save Magnus. You gave it your best shot, but I guess your best just wasn’t good enough, was it?” 

Magnus had heard enough. He was about to leap into action, using his laser to burn a hole in the door and then into the heads of the two men in the room, but was surprised to see Isabelle beat him to it. She shoved Jace and Magnus back away from the door, the two of them falling to the floor. “Stay.” She commanded, before switching on her com. “Clary, now!” She barked into her earpiece. 

The three listening devices on the door instantly lit up, each with a red light in the center. They flashed for a second, Magnus only having a moment to wonder what was going on before they exploded. They all jumped back, covering their heads from the blast, but quickly realized they had need to. The blast from the devices was strong, but contained and left no shrapnel or debris flying through the air. 

Magnus looked up to see the smoke clearing and in it, the silhouette of Isabelle Lightwood. She looked the picture of an avenging angel, door hanging on it’s hinges at her feet and her whip snapping against the ground menacingly. 

“Get the _hell_ away from my brother.” She growled, her whip slicing through the air to emphasize her point. “Or I swear to God, you will regret it.” 

Jace and Magnus rushed off the floor. The corridor was still filled with smoke, choking Magnus with every inhale he took, but he needed to be closer. Magnus didn’t want to be on the floor when it finally cleared. Jace pushed passed him, striding so he was beside Isabelle. Magnus had to restrain himself from pushing the blonde aside, or better yet, back down to the floor. After all, this was supposed to be _his_ dramatic entrance and radical romantic gesture. But he stayed put, figuring his last seconds without seeing Valentine’s ugly mug were something he should probably treasure. 

He heard him before he saw him. The voice chilled Magnus to the very core, lighting up painful memories he had worked hard to forget. “And how do you suppose you’re going to do that, little girl?” Isabelle visablly stiffened at Valentine’s mocking words, manicured nails gripping her weapon just a little tighter. “You must be Isabelle. Quite the brain, from what I’ve heard, but no matter what you do, you can never live up to your brothers. Your skills still can’t reach your parents’ expectations.” 

She snapped her whip, the leather slapping the ground fiercely. “Why don’t you come over here and I can show you some of my skills so you can decide for yourself?” 

Valentine laughed, as if placating a child whom had said something amusing. “You’re feisty. I like that.” He chuckled. “And, Jace, is it? The golden child, who never really belonged anywhere. Your birth parents never wanted you, so they gave you over to the mercy of The Clave. But you never really fit into the tight-knit Lightwood family, did you?” 

Magnus knew before he moved that Jace was going to lunge. He reached forward, grabbing the back of Jace’s hood and pulling him back forcefully. The blonde fought, but eventually relented, pulling himself from Magnus’ grip angrily. “Calm down.” Magnus instructed firmly, hand unwavering on Jace’s bicep. “He’s just trying to rile you up. Don’t let him.” It took a moment, but the agent eventually nodded, back in control. With a nod, Magnus stepped around Jace, moving so that he was in the center of the hole that had once been a door. 

Magnus stood at his full height, hoping he looked a hell of a lot more confident than he felt. 

The first sight he saw was Valentine, standing right in front of him with a delighted look on his face. He was looking at Magnus like he was the present he had been asking for all year, and Santa had finally brought it to him. It was a hungry delight, ferocious and vile. His eyes raked over Magnus, taking in his prize. “Well, if it isn’t the great Magnus Bane. I was expecting you sooner or later.” 

Magnus suppressed his shiver. He refused to let this bastard know that he still affected him, after all these years. He still looked the same as he did that last day Magnus had seen him. Bald head gleaming, eyes piercing and so, so cruel. He was dressed in a form fitting suit that looked like it had cost him quite a bit. Jewels were embezzled on his tie, shining in the dim light of the cell. 

Beside him, was a man Magnus didn’t know, but couldn’t help the thought that he had seen him before. He had eyes similar to Valentine, piercing like they could stare straight through your soul. But his hair was incredibly fair, almost white. His skin was worse, a sickly pale with striking bruises under his eyes. He grinned at Magnus with a wild ferocity. Magnus decided to steer clear of him, for he looked like a wild animal, eyes wild, that had been trapped in captivity for far too long. 

There was one other man in the room, but he was being shielded by Valentine and the mystery man. He looked to be unconscious, hanging heavy in a pair of thick metal shackles. His hair was matted and dirty, coated in what looked like grime and blood mixed together. He was stripped from the waist up, a litany of bruises, lacerations and gauges covering his skin. 

It wasn’t until Valentine stepped aside, giving Magnus a clear view of the man, that he realized who it was. 

Alec. 

_Alec_.

Tears sprung to his eyes, looking at the once proud agent, looking utterly defeated. He looked worse than Magnus had ever imagined, hardly recognizable through his injuries. Magnus hadn’t yet seen his face, but he knew without a doubt that it was Alec. His Alec. Bile rose in his throat when he saw remnants of what had once been Alec’s runes, a proud marker of his heritage. The runes, or what was left of them, looked like they had been sliced clean off, deep wounds in their place. 

“Your agent doesn’t look so pretty now, does he? Doesn’t really have the same appeal as he did before.” The man beside Valentine spoke, his voice venomous like a snake. It took those few words for Magnus to realize who he was. 

“Jonathan.” Shock coloured his voice, but he quickly masked it. “I see you never really left the nest. Still living under Daddy’s wings?” Jonathan looked murderous, but a single look from Valentine stopped him from lunging at Magnus. “Aw, that’s cute. Did he make you a room in his basement too? Does he still pack your lunches?”

Valentine placed a hand on his son’s shoulder, holding him back. He looked like a feral dog, all that was missing was the foam dripping from his mouth. “Now, now Jonathan. We don’t sink to the level of our inferiors, hm?” 

Memories flooded Magnus, pictures and clips of his childhood coming back. He remembered exploring the mansion he and his mother had been living in with Valentine and his father. He remembered walking down a dark corridor, in the area he had been instructed to never go. There was a door right at the end, where Magnus swore he heard someone inside during the night, a boy from the sounds of the pleading. He remembered turning the knob, but being stopped before he could open it to see inside. Valentine had stood over him, angrier than Magnus had ever seen him. He slammed the door shut, locking it, and dragged Magnus back to his own room. That was the first time he had been locked in there, stuck for two days without food or water before Valentine had decided to let him out. 

The next time he had seen Jonathan was two years later. Magnus was being sent out on a mission, into the streets to find kids his age. He hadn’t known why, but he knew he had to. Valentine had sent another boy with him, a boy with fair hair and scared eyes. Magnus had never seen him before, but there were always kids coming and going in the mansion. 

But now he knew. Valentine had a son. With whom, he didn’t know, but he had locked him up for years, probably torturing him into obedience. And when he had gotten captured, his son had been the one to break him out, to bring him back to the family business. 

Magnus felt sick. 

Everyone in the room is startled by Alec, who coughed behind them. Despite the pained raspy sound, it filled Magnus with hope. Alec was alive. Alec was okay and he was going to be fine.

Jonathan turned at the sound, rolling his eyes in disgust. He looked at Alec like he would a piece of dirt, useless and dirty. He raised his fist, ready to deliver a blow. Magnus moved before he could convince himself not to. He dived for Jonathan, flying through the air, taking the creep to the ground, stopping him from hitting Alec. Magnus landed on top of him, a satisfying crunch telling him that Jonathan hadn’t been able to bring his arm in in time, and instead landed on it. 

Jonathan whirled on Magnus, thrashing underneath him. He screamed and swore, trying to get his hands free to claw at him. Magnus held his hands down, muscles straining with the effort. He knew he wouldn’t be able to hold him for long, Jonathan too riled up to be controlled by just Magnus. 

He was saved by Isabelle, who’s whip wrapped around Jonathan’s hand just as he freed it from Magnus’ grasp. She caught it before it could wrap around Magnus’ neck. 

“You bitch!” Jonathan screamed, trying to pull his hand free. But Isabelle had the upper hand, literally. She tugged hard on the whip, dislocating Jonathan’s shoulder with a sickening crack. He screamed, pain and anger evident but Isabelle was merciless. She pulled again, ripping another scream from the villian. She met Magnus’ eyes. “Get Alec. I’ve got this.” 

 

***

 

Alec was pulled into consciousness by a pained scream. One that he was certain did not belong to him for a change. 

He didn’t remember much before passing out. Valentine and Jonathan were torturing him with the death of his little brother, Max, assaulting him with their words and their fists. And then there had been a blast, one that shook the entire room, timed at the same time as Jonathan had delivered a blow right to his head. 

Alec blinked his eyes open, every move painful. He tried to lift his head, but his body was betraying him. It was too weak. He tried again, getting his feet under him and trying to push himself up. He slipped and fell a few times, but eventually got himself to a somewhat standing position. 

The ringing in his ears started to fade, replaced by the sounds filling the room. Screams. Grunts. A whip snapping. A call of his name. 

Alec opened his eyes once more, using all of his strength to lift his head to see what was going on. At first he couldn’t make sense of what he was seeing, and had to blink a few times to make sure he was seeing clearly. Because he saw a giant hole in the door, smoke fading away. He saw his sister, whip pulled tight as it wrapped around Jonathan’s arm. He saw his brother, throwing punches at Valentine and landing every single one. And he saw Magnus, running towards him, tears in his eyes, calling his name. 

“Magnus.” He croaked weakly, hoping his mind wasn’t playing tricks on him again. But he knew that it must be. That he must be on the cusp of death, that his body had finally taken too much and was on the verge of shutting down. That his mind was giving him what he wanted most, to be rescued by the people he loved. At least Alec would be able to see Magnus one more time before he died, even if it was a hallucination. 

Hallucination Magnus was almost there, close enough that Alec could have reached out and touched him if his hands were free. And he thought he should have been able to. It was his hallucination after all. Magnus was a breath away when suddenly he wasn’t. Because Valentine had come up behind hallucination Magnus and tackled him to the ground. 

“No!” Alec screamed, tearing at his throat. Magnus was so close. He was almost there. And Valentine was taking that away, again. Even in Alec’s hallucinations, the bastard was ruining his life. 

Valentine and hallucination Magnus struggled on the ground, just a few feet from Alec. Magnus was holding his own, but Valentine landed a few hits that looked painful. He had Magnus pinned under his knee, pressing into his chest roughly. 

“Alec! Alec, look at me!” Alec snapped his attention away from the fight on the floor to see Jace, standing right beside him. He had his hands on Alec’s shoulder, holding him up and it almost felt real. It almost felt like his brother was right there, holding him. 

“Jace.” He sighed. “You’re here.” He let his body sag into Jace’s weight. He could feel himself slipping. He wondered if he would see the light when he died, like so many people had described. He had never put much thought into his own death as he had in the past few days, but now that it was here, he wasn’t scared. Because his mind had given him the three people he loved most in the world. 

Alec’s arms fell from above his head, dropping heavy like weights to his side. The pain in them certainly felt real. The numbness, much more painful than simple pins and needles. Jace held him up, working on the shackles around his ankles as well. It wasn’t long before Alec was free. 

He was almost free. He was just waiting for the light. 

“Alec, buddy I need you to look at me.” Alec dazedly moved his gaze over to his brother, focusing on his eyes. He looked so real, like he had been plucked right out of Alec’s mind. 

“You look so real.” Jace looked at him like he had grown a second head. Alec could still hear the sounds of fighting behind him, but he didn’t want to see that, not in his last moments of life. What he wanted to see, was Magnus. “I want to see Magnus. Not hallucination Magnus, real Magnus. _My_ Magnus. I want to see you all for real.” Alec’s cheeks were wet with tears suddenly, sadness filling him. “I had to hallucinate you all because you’re not here. You never came for me.” 

Jace grabbed his shoulders, bringing Alec up so they were staring eye to eye. “Alec, I need you to listen to me. I’m real. We’re all real, and we’re here to take you home.” Jace held his shoulders tightly, squeezing him. “We’re here for you Alec. We came for you.” 

Alec’s heart picked up, beating in his ears. Could it be real? Could everything be real? He wasn’t sure what had been real and what hadn’t, brain too muddled with the conflicting lies Valentine had fed him. The whole time he had been here it had felt like a nightmare, pain and deceit coming in waves. But Jace, he looked so real, like he was standing right in front of Alec. 

Shakily lifting his hand, Alec brushed his fingers against Jace’s face, gasping. He was real. Jace was really here. Isabelle was really here. 

Magnus was really here. 

Leaning his weight against Jace, Alec turned back towards the rest of the cell. He saw Isabelle, fighting Jonathan. He was no match for her, and Alec was filled with pride seeing his little sister deliver the final blow, knocking his tormentor into next week. It was satisfying seeing the bruises covering Jonathan’s face, the blood spurting from his nose where Isabelle had knocked it in. 

Valentine and Magnus were still fighting though. Alec’s stomach lurched when he saw the criminal sitting on top of Magnus, his knee pressing into the base of Magnus’ throat. Magnus was struggling to remove the weight, clawing at the pant of Valentine’s suit, but it was no use. He could see the hitman’s face changing from red to purple, his attempts to free himself getting weaker and weaker. 

Magnus turned his head and in a instant met Alec’s eyes. He saw the pain, the fear in them as he clung to his last seconds of life. But he also saw the peace, the serenity. When he laid eyes on Alec, free and standing against Jace’s shoulders, he relaxed, and even smiled a fraction. 

Jace swore under his breath. “Son of a bitch, I knew it.” Alec didn’t know what he knew, but the next second he had his pistol drawn and aimed right at Valentine’s head. Time seemed to slow down in the next few minutes. To Alec, it felt like eternity, but in reality he knew it was nothing more than a few seconds. 

He pushed off of Jace, grabbing the gun from his hand and dropping to his knees, body too weak to hold him up. He channeled all of his rage, every bit of strength he had left. He thought of the last few days and all that had been done to him. Every single punch, slice and kick. Every single torturous word, every lie.

Alec took all of that strength and used it to lift the gun, pausing only a moment before he pressed the trigger. The shot was sure, he knew. Alec never missed a shot, even when his body could hardly keep itself alive. He knew Valentine was dead the moment the shot pierced his brain, exactly as Alec had intended it. 

He was falling before he could stop himself, gun slipping from his grip as he slipped from consciousness. He hit the ground, hardly feeling it. The world felt quiet around him, darkness coming for him. If his last act on this Earth was saving Magnus Bane, Alec could die happy, knowing he did his job. They had made him feel like he had failed, but by firing that bullet, Alec had done it. 

He had saved Magnus. 

A smile crossed Alec’s face as he shut his eyes. He could feel the last of the energy slipping from him. He knew it wouldn’t be long until he saw the light now. 

But the light never came. Alec stayed conscious by some miracle, blinking his eyes open. He was met with a sight more beautiful than any light. Magnus was leaning over him, tears of relief in his eyes when Alec opened his own. His hair was a mess and a bruise was already starting to form at the base of his throat. But he was the most beautiful thing Alec had ever seen probably in his entire life. 

“You came.” He whispered, staring up into the face of the man who owned his entire heart. 

Magnus laughed wetly, tears coating his cheeks. “Of course I came, you idiot.” He smiled, stroking the grimy skin of Alec’s cheek. “I would never leave you. Ever.” The second part was whispered like a confession, soft and just between the two of them. 

“Even though I’m just a stupid Lightwood?” He asked, hope colouring his tone. The words weren’t lost on Magnus, and Alec could see the regret, the guilt cloud his face. 

But he smiled, a small, private smile and nodded. “Especially because you’re a stupid Lightwood.” Magnus pressed a featherlight kiss to Alec’s temple, and he ignored the pain because the feeling of Magnus’ lips pressing against his skin was the most welcome feeling in the world. Magnus pressed small kisses all over his skin, his eyelids his cheeks until finally, _finally_ he kissed Alec on the lips. 

It was everything he had been dreaming of and more. Magnus was gentle with him, pulling back almost immediately because he didn’t want to hurt Alec. His smile went all the way up to his eyes, crinkling them at the corner and Alec couldn’t resist beckoning him back down, grabbing Magnus when he was close enough and pulling him in for another kiss. It was what he had been craving for what felt like his entire life, and he wasn’t going to push it away because of a little pain. 

Or a lot of it. Whatever. Magnus was kissing him and that was all that really mattered. 

The rest, they could figure out later. 

 

***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOOOOO! It took about 17001 years but we finally got there! 
> 
> As aforementioned, the epilogue will be up a little later. I was going to put it in here but this was already over 15k and my computer was threatening to crash. So stay tuned :) 
> 
> Thank you for reading, angels. See you soon!


	11. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end. I'm fine. It's fine. (its not fine). 
> 
>  
> 
> Tweet me @insiemes or tag #EOSfic if you're live tweeting!

Alec awoke to a blinding light. 

He shut his eyes at once, and groaned at the feeling of his retinas burning. The problem with that was, his throat was incredibly dry from disuse, so when he groaned he was taken over instantly by a coughing fit which felt anything but pleasant. 

So far, Alec had only been awake for about twenty seconds but he was already wishing he was back in dreamland. Or at least that he had a little bit of water. At least his body didn’t feel like it had been run over by a truck about a thousand times in dreamland. 

He tried to open his eyes again, slower this time. It took a few minutes, but eventually he adjusted to the light and was able to crack his eyes open and look around. He was in a hospital of some sort, though one he didn’t recognize, and he had been to plenty in his day. He was lying on a bed in a private room, hooked up to a hoard of machines, all beeping steadily attached to various parts of his torso. He couldn’t see the rest of body, for he was wrapped heavily in bandages and covered by sheets, but he figured that was probably for the best. He wasn’t sure he was ready to lift the curtain on the horror of all that just yet. 

The longer Alec was awake, the more the memories came flooding back to him like a tidal wave. It was slow at first, but after a few minutes of being awake, everything came back to him. He remembered his capture and waking up in a small, dark, foreign room. He remembered every single second of the torture, no matter how much he wished that he didn’t. He remembered his family and Magnus coming to save him, and how he had thought it wasn’t real. But then all at once, it was. 

He remembered Valentine trying to kill Magnus, with a knee pressing hard into his throat, with the only goal of cutting off his airway. He remembered killing Valentine with a bullet before he had the chance to. 

And then there was Magnus, leaning over him with tears of relief dripping down his cheeks as he gazed down at Alec. As he looked at Alec like he was the most important thing in the entire world. How Magnus had kissed him so tenderly, all over his face, just as Alec had imagined in his lowest moments of torture. 

Everything after that though was a blur. He hadn’t any idea how they had escaped or how they had gotten to wherever he was now. But he knew he was safe wherever he was. 

Alec let his head thump back against the pillow, immediately regretting the decision as pain laced up his spine and settled in his temples. He groaned again, and then subsequently, coughed again. 

So far, being awake wasn’t all that great. 

“Alec!” He winced at the piercing sound of his sister’s voice, loud from the door to his room. She stood in the threshold, frozen, with two cups of coffee in hand. But Alec’s pain was instantly forgotten when he saw the blinding smile that lit up her face. She grinned at him, tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. Alec did his best to grin back, though he had a feeling he probably looked like some sort of deformed clown. 

Isabelle rushed to his bedside, hesitating when she got close. Alec guessed she was probably trying to figure out where to touch him so he wouldn’t be hurt. He helped her out, shifting his right hand closer to her. One of the only parts of his body that wasn’t covered in bandages, bruises or some sort of hospital machinery. Isabelle grabbed hold of it and squeezed tightly. “Hey, big brother. It’s so good to finally see your eyes.” 

It took him a few attempts, and some water from Isabelle before Alec could get his own words out, and even then, they were croaked and soft. “How long?”

Isabelle bit her lip, a tell from when they were kids that told him she was nervous. It had been a while since he’d seen it, something that told him he wasn’t going to like her answer. She glanced around the room, before almost reluctantly meeting Alec’s eyes. “We got back from Croatia about six weeks ago.” She whispered. “At first, you weren’t well enough to fly, but we couldn’t exactly just walk you into a normal hospital, not with the extent of your injuries. People would ask questions we couldn’t answer. So Mom made the call to sedate you, and fly you back home.” Tears sprang to her eyes once again. Alec squeezed her hand as best he could. “It was touch and go for a while. You kept crashing on the plane. It was terrifying. We weren’t sure you were going to make it.” She let out a watery laugh. “But you did, and once we got you home, we brought you here.” 

“How bad is it?” He sensed her hesitation after he asked the question, in the way she wouldn’t meet his eyes. “Iz, please.” 

Isabelle gave him a small smile, sitting on the corner of the bed. “You’ve given us quite the scare, big brother. You have quite a few broken bones but those are nothing compared to the internal injuries. You’ve been in about eight surgeries, all of which have gone well.” She sighed. “And then, just when we thought we were in the clear, the infections started. You were moved to another ward where they trapped you in a bubble, and none of us were allowed to see you for weeks. The infections had gotten to your bloodstream, threatening your already weak immune system.”

“But,” she smiled, real this time. “I told them you were a fighter, and you pulled through. Just like we all knew you would. The antibiotics kicked in and it wasn’t long before the scares were over. That was about a week and a half ago. They kept you under though because they wanted to give you a little more time to heal.” 

Alec took a moment to process all that he was hearing. He couldn’t imagine the pain and worry his family and friends had been put through during that time, because from the sounds of it he was on the brink of death more than once. But Isabelle told him it was all upwards from here, that he was in recovery and the doctors were sure he would make it, somewhat, back to the health he had been before. 

“There’s going to be lots of scarring.” Isabelle warned. “And it’s going to be a very long time before you’re cleared to go back in the field again. The trauma to your brain was extensive, concussions worse than anything they had seen, and the bleeding in your brain took a while to get under control. But,” she amended, probably seeing the scared look on Alec’s face. “You _will_ be able to go back into the field. As much as I don’t want you to.” She grinned, giving his hand a playful squeeze. 

Alec decided he wanted to focus on something other than his injuries. He had a feeling that would all he would be focusing on for the next few months. Physical therapy and rehab were most definitely in his future, something he wasn’t exactly looking forward to. There was another thing that was bothering him though, something he couldn’t quite remember. “How did we get out?” He asked warily. 

“Getting out was actually easier than getting in.” His question was answered by Jace, who came into the room followed by the rest of the team. Alec smiled at them all, scanning everyone’s faces. They all looked relatively unharmed, which was good. But he couldn’t help the drop of disappointment that Magnus wasn’t with the group. 

Jace came over and ruffled his hair, gently. “Hey, bro.” The rest of the team followed suit. Clary came and gave him a small kiss on the cheek and a smile, Maia squeezed his shoulder lightly. Simon wasn’t sure where to approach Alec, eventually settling for a smile and a shy “glad you’re back”. Luke gave him a proud smile, telling Alec it was an honour to have served beside him. 

Maryse came in last, tears in her eyes. “Mom.” Alec said, reaching out to meet her hand. She squeezed it back tightly, and gave him a warm smile. 

“How are you feeling?”

Alec shrugged, wincing at the pain. The group let out soft chuckles. “I guess that answers your question.” Alec ribbed, smiling. 

The team sat down around him, filling him in on their escape and the trip back to America. Jace, Magnus and Isabelle had all been in the cell with him, while Clary, Maia and Simon had gone to the control room. They had been disabling cameras and were the team’s eyes and ears, navigating them around the lair undetected. Luke and Maryse had been tasked on getting the team a way to escape once they actually freed Alec. They had never actually entered the lair, instead coordinating helicopter and finding another route out. They had been working with Maia, whom had left the control room to find another exit on the inside. They knew carrying Alec up all those flights of stairs would be next to impossible, so Maia had found an old service elevator, which Simon had been able to power up within minutes. From there, it had been easy to transport the team up and load them all in the chopper. 

Jonathan had come with them too, still alive. They had sedated him with the same drug they had used on Alec, except he had been bound in the strongest bonds the Clave had in their arsenal. Upon their return, he had been placed inside a secure cell, far below ground level at the New York Institute. 

“What’s going to happen to him?” Alec asked. No one met his eye, instead looking at each other, seemingly trying to decide who should break the news to him. 

It was his mother who spoke. She looked confidently at her son, giving him a reassuring smile. “We thought we would leave that up to you, Alexander.” 

Thrown off, Alec wasn’t sure how to react. His first instinct was to sentence Jonathan to death. He wanted to give him everything, if not something worse, than he had given Alec. He wanted him to suffer, to feel pain as if he never had before. After all, he had all but done the same to Alec. 

But, Alec knew he wasn’t a killer. 

Or was he? He had killed Valentine. And he had killed before. What was stopping him from killing the monster that had caused him, and his family, so much pain?

He debated back and forth, unsure. His mother grabbed his hand, squeezing it to get his attention. “You don’t have to decide right away. Give it some time. But whatever you decide, we will all support you. One hundred percent.” 

Alec nodded and smiled at her, but his heart wasn’t really in it. He knew he had a long road ahead of him, and a big decision to make but he found it really hard to think about any of that right now. He couldn’t stop his eyes from flicking to the door, wanting, _hoping_ for one more person to walk in. The one person he wanted to see more than anyone else. 

Isabelle, ever observant, didn’t miss his longing looks. “Why don’t we let Alec rest for a little? Lord knows he needs it. And while we’re at it, we can all go home and finally get some rest ourselves, too.” It took some convincing, but eventually everyone conceded, giving him hugs and kisses on their way out, until it was just him and Isabelle left. 

They were both silent, neither wanting to address the elephant in the room. Alec broke first, unable to take the silence anymore. “Iz, where is he?” 

She stroked a lock of hair away from his forehead gently. “He’s here. He’s in the lobby.” Alec’s heart soared. Magnus was here. He hadn’t left! When Alec had woken and he hadn’t seen him there, he had been terrified that Magnus had just left without saying goodbye. The mission was complete after all, and there was nothing keeping him in New York. 

Alec opened his mouth, but Isabelle stopped him. “He’s been a right mess since we got you out. The plane was hard for all of us, keeping watch on you. We had to resuscitate you every single time you went under, which as you can’t imagine, wasn’t an easy thing to stomach. But I think it was exceptionally hard for Magnus. He didn’t sleep for almost 48 hours after we got you back.” She smiled. “Alec, that man is head over heels for you. He stayed by your bedside every single night you were here. For weeks, he wouldn’t move, not letting any of us take his place. And when they moved you to quarantine, Magnus set a chair right outside of it, so he would never be too far.” 

Alec couldn’t help but smile. Obviously it was not because Magnus had been a mess, or so worried about him. No, that hurt Alec and he wished that he could take back all that pain he caused. But he smiled because Magnus had cared enough about Alec to stay vigil at his bedside for weeks. Magnus hadn’t left him. Magnus wasn’t going to leave him. 

“Can I see him?” He asked quickly, too quickly. He knew he sounded eager, but he had been asleep for weeks and all he wanted was to see Magnus. There was so much left unsaid between them, and Alec was desperate to say it all. 

Isabelle was saved from answering by someone clearing their throat from the doorway. Not just someone. Magnus. His Magnus. Isabelle chuckled softly, kissing Alec on the forehead and then quickly excusing herself under the guise that she needed to grab food. Alec hardly noticed her go though, eyes too focused on Magnus. 

He stood in the doorway, looking softer than Alec had ever seen him. He was dressed casually in a pair of blue jeans and a sweater that Alec recognized as one of his own from the Institute. His hair was flipped over to one side, scarce of gel or any colour. His eyes had just a smidge of liner around them, but it looked like it had been there for a few days. They were also circled with deep, purple bags, indicating it had been a while since he last slept. 

“Hi.” Alec gasped. The words launched off his tongue, too quickly and he coughed, throat heaving with the pressure. Magnus was by his side in a second, feeding him water gently, rubbing his back until the convulsions subsided. 

“Hi.” He grinned back when Alec had regained control of himself, laughing softly. Magnus seemed unsure of what to do with himself, so he stood beside Alec’s bed, wringing his hands. It was the first time Alec seen him look anything but confident. 

He was too far away for Alec’s liking. “Come here.” He whispered, holding his good hand out to Magnus, beckoning him closer. He did his best to move over in the bed to make room, but ended up needing Magnus’ help. Once there was sufficient room, Magnus sat beside Alec, but let out a startled laugh when Alec pulled him down closer, so that they were laying side by side. 

Magnus rested his head on Alec’s shoulder, lightly placing his hand on his chest. “Am I hurting you?” He asked softly. And if Alec was going to be completely honest, he was. Alec could feel the pain in his shoulder as well as his chest, radiating from the points Magnus touched him, but he wasn’t about to tell Magnus that and risk him moving away. 

“No, I’m okay.”

They were silent, for how long, Alec wasn’t sure. He was focused on the soft puff of Magnus’ breath, the way he could feel his heart beating through the material of his sweater. Magnus’ smell filled his nostrils, a mix of the shampoo he used and something that was distinctly Magnus. Holding him like this, Alec felt a peace he hadn’t felt in a long, long time. He felt a sense of connectedness, a sense of wholeness that could only come from being close to someone you loved. It was as if he had walked through hell and then back again, but none of that mattered because he came back, and was in the presence of an angel. 

Magnus was the first to break the bubble of silence. He whispered against Alec’s chest, “how are you feeling?” His fingers gently danced over the bandages covering Alec’s torso.

And Alec wasn’t sure how to answer that one. Physically, he was a mess. Even without Isabelle’s run-through of his injuries, Alec knew he was far from healthy. He had a long way to go and knew he would be in pain for a long time. Recovery would be a long, hard road. 

Mentally though, he hadn’t been able to sort himself out. 

He was relieved to be safe of course, and that everyone else had all made it out relatively unscathed. He was happy to see his family and friends again, and that the mission had been a success. He was worried about the immediate future, about having the fate of a man’s life in his hands. And he knew that he was hurt mentally, and emotionally. He knew there would be scars, both physical and emotional. There would be nightmares and days where going on seemed impossible. Because besides the visceral toll his body had taken, his mind had taken quite the beating as well. Valentine and Jonathan had wrecked him, tortured him using their words and Alec knew that wasn’t something he could come back from easily. 

But he was also nervous, about his future with Magnus. Because a lot had happened since that night on the balcony where they whispered their feelings under the moonlight, and Alec knew they couldn’t just brush it under the rug without talking about it first. 

And so how did Alec even begin to answer that question? How did he come up with a response that would sum up everything that he was feeling?

As always, Magnus seemed to know what was going through his mind before he even had time to express it. He sat up so he was looking Alec in the eye, brushing dark hair from his eyes. “Hey, it’s okay. It’s okay.” He soothed, voice soft. Calm. Alec closed his eyes, letting himself fall into the feeling of Magnus stroking his hair. 

He opened his eyes, to see Magnus looking down at him. He looked worried, eyes scanning Alec’s face. He hadn’t seen himself in a mirror lately, but he had a feeling he wasn’t looking his best right now, skin covered in dark bruises and cuts. Yet, Magnus was still looking at him with a look that made Alec’s insides turn to liquid. 

“Magnus - we need to …” Magnus was patient, giving Alec the time he needed to find his words. “We need to talk about it. About everything.”

Magnus smiled softly, continuing his soft ministrations. “I know we do. But that can wait, if you want. You’ve just woken up. We can talk about all of that and more when you’ve had time to get your bearings.” 

Alec shook his head, softly brushing Magnus’ hand away and looking him in the eye. “No.” He whispered. “We need to talk about it now. S-so much happened and I need to … sort it all out in my head.” 

Magnus was silent for a long time, looking Alec in the eye before he nodded slowly. “Of course, Alexander.” He positioned himself so that he was sitting across from Alec, yet still close enough to touch him. He had Alec’s hand in his, and didn’t seem to want to let it go anytime soon. Alec wasn’t objecting. 

Letting out a short breath, Alec started. “The fight -”

“Alexander-” Magnus interrupted quickly, shaking his head. “It was a stupid fight. I was terrified after I learned that Valentine wanted me dead. I knew he did, of course, I just - I was naively hoping that we would never have to face him. I knew what he was like and never wanted you to have to endure that. Hearing what we tortured out of that guard though, made it too real. Everything, every painful memory from my childhood came back.” Magnus sighed, looking down at their joined hands. “But it turns out instead of shielding you from it, me fighting you just led the asshole straight to you.” 

Alec was shaking his head before Magnus had even finished. “No, don’t pin this all on yourself. That’s not fair. We both said things we shouldn't have. Magnus I - I judged you for what you do for work. I swore to myself I would never go that low, and I can never make that up.”

“Oh, Alexander.” Magnus sighed, squeezing his hand. “Even if I was upset about that, which I’m not and never was, everything you have gone through in the name of protecting me is more than enough for compensation.” He stroked his thumb gently over Alec’s. “I - you defended my honour in that cell, even when those two bastards tried to convince you I hated you. Alexander, you have more good in you than anyone else in this world has in their pinky toe.” 

“I think the saying is ‘pinky finger’,” Alec corrected, smile lifting his lips. Magnus chuckled, shaking his head. “But I knew what they were saying about you wasn’t true. Even when I hardly knew what day it was or what my own name was, I knew that they were lying about you. When Valentine was talking about your past, I _knew_. Because I know you, Magnus. You were just a kid.”

Alec looked up, surprised to see tears glistening in Magnus’ eyes. He quickly blinked them away, shooting Alec a watery smile. “I don’t believe you.” He whispered in awe. 

“What?” Alec whispered back, just as soft.

Magnus shook his head again, wiping a stray tear from his cheek. “Valentine tells you the darkest part of my past, the part of my life that I am most ashamed about, and you tell me that it’s okay, that it wasn’t my fault.” He laughed softly. “And just like that, you make it a little bit easier to bear. You accepting me,” Magnus whispered, “makes it better.” 

Alec lifted his right hand, ignoring the scream of pain from his muscles, to rest his palm to Magnus’ cheek. Magnus moved into the gesture, shutting his eyes. They stayed in the embrace, enjoying the closeness after so long being parted. 

Alec’s mind though, ruined the moment. Because there was something that was bugging him that he couldn’t quite wrap his head around. “Magnus, when you were captured, th- they told me that you didn’t want to see me. I thought it was because of our fight, but then you rescued me and -”

Magnus interrupted him gently. “Alexander,” he said, slowly. “The first time I saw Valentine and his demon son was when I burst into the room where they were holding you. They never came to my cell. They never talked to me before I saw them with you.”

“So you didn’t tell them you didn’t want to see me? That you … blamed me for getting you captured?” He hated how small his voice got, how weak. He had been so convinced that it had been real, but the more he thought about it, the more he knew it was probably just another avenue of torture they came up with. 

“Never. Besides the fact that I walked into there on my own accord, if they had come to see me, I would have plenty of words for them. But none of them would have been that I never wanted to see you, or blamed you for anything.” Magnus squeezed his hand. “How could I? I was going crazy trying to get to you. And if they had offered me the chance to see the man I love, I would have jumped on it faster than I tried to hit on you when we first met.” 

Alec froze. Every thought running through his head stopped. Everything became a blur except one sentence. One single sentence; ”the man I love”. Alec knew he shouldn’t be as surprised as he was. After all, he knew Magnus had feelings for him. He had told Alec himself on the balcony. And he had staged the most dangerous rescue mission known to man, and then stayed with him while he recovered. But he hadn’t been thinking about Magnus’ feelings related to those things. 

“You love me?” He rasped, voice failing him. 

Magnus looked at him, incredulous. “Of course I love you, you idiot. Why else do you think I would have crawled into the literal lion’s den?” He laughed, biting his lip. “Only a man in love would do something that crazy, Alexander.” 

Alec was on the top of the world. The fact that he was injured was so far from his mind when he reached up and pulled Magnus in. He didn’t think about the ache in his muscles or the fact that breathing was painful when he moulded his mouth to Magnus’, in the best kiss he could muster when he was smiling as hard as he was. He didn’t think about the pain, the hurt or the torture. He didn’t think about the recovery or about Jonathan’s fate. 

The only thing on Alec’s mind was that he was kissing the love of his life, and he loved him _back_. 

Everything else could be sorted out later. 

 

***

**Two Months Later**

Alec stood in front of the majestic oak doors of the Institute’s conference room. 

He had been inside this room many times before, as all important Clave meetings were held here. This was the room he had been assigned his first mission, and the room he had been assigned his last. The mission that had changed his life. This was the room he had met Magnus. 

It had been a while since he had stood in front of these doors, and he would be stupid not to be nervous about what was on the other side. The Commander had finally called for a debrief of the mission, after having cleared Alec back into the agency. 

And he had recovered, for the most part. He still ached if he sat for too long, and couldn’t push himself too hard without getting blinding headaches, but it was getting better day by day. He was building up the muscle he had lost and the endurance that had been shot, and he was starting to feel more like himself than he had in a long time. He had a team of the best rehabilitation therapists around him, as well as his family and Magnus. 

The latter was standing beside him, holding Alec’s hand tight in his own. He was waiting on Alec, knowing he needed a few moments to collect himself before they went inside. This meeting would be a big deal for both of them, but especially Alec. It would determine his future with The Clave. 

“Ready?” Magnus asked, fingers squeezing reassuringly. 

Alec closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Compared to everything they had been through, a meeting in front of a bunch of old people was nothing. It was next to nothing. He could do it. And he had Magnus by his side, who had promised not to leave the entire time, Clave protocol be damned. 

Alec really loved his boyfriend. 

He looked over at said boyfriend, nodding firmly. “I’m ready.” 

Magnus winked. “Then let’s go kick some ass, babe.” They opened the doors, striding into the room, hand in hand. It was no secret to Alec’s immediate circle that he and Magnus were an item. It was almost all he talked about, after all. Alec even had an inkling that the Commander knew, but to the other dignitaries, one of their own walking in hand in hand with a hitman was a gross surprise. 

They were faced with a panel mostly familiar to the both of them. Victor Aldertree had returned, along with Imogen, Lydia and some Clave officials Alec was unfamiliar with. Both of his parents were seated beside them, and in the middle of the table was Jia Penhallow, the Commander. They were situated behind a long able, watching Magnus and Alec expectantly. 

It did nothing to help the nerves piling in Alec’s gut. 

The rest of the team was sitting in a row against the far wall, awaiting instruction. There was Isabelle and Clary, Jace, Maia, Luke and Simon. All of them gave nods of encouragement, or small smiles and Alec couldn’t help the genuine smile he shot back at all of them. If everything went to shit today, he knew for sure that he would still have his family behind him. 

“Agent Alexander Lightwood,” Jia commanded, voice booming through the room. “Step forward and deliver your testimony for the mission of the death of Valentine Morgenstern.” In the center of the room was a giant podium, facing the panel. Alec knew the drill, he had done debriefs before, but none to this magnitude. Usually, it was just his mother and father sitting at the panel, and maybe a clerk. But never before had he given a debrief to this many important Clave members. Magnus gave him an encouraging smile before letting go of his hand and going to sit with the others. Alec approached the platform. 

They had agreed beforehand to leave nothing out of their testimonies. It would do no good to lie to them at this point. And The Clave hadn’t been told much in the way of the mission, Alec himself having kept a lot of the information out of his reports. The rescue mission as well was fairly unclear to them, and they had wanted to wait until Alec was recovered to depose him and the rest of the team.

The Commander nodded. “Agent Lightwood. To the best of your ability, can you summarize the events that happened during the mission you were assigned, in which you were protecting Magnus Bane?” 

And so Alec told them. He told them everything, from beginning to end. To the clues Valentine had been leaving them, to the attack on Magnus. He told them about Jonathan, and how he had been following them to every country they went to. He told them of his capture and torture, of his rescue and ultimately, the death of Valentine. It was hard to rehash it all, but Alec hadn’t really been able to escape it anyway. Nightmares haunted him during the night, and more often than not he would wake up screaming and sweating, until Magnus gently coaxed him back to sleep. He tried to forget, but he knew it would be a while until it didn’t hurt. Until the memories didn’t follow him wherever he went. 

All laid out, the story was quite the tale. It was the story of Alec discovering himself and the agent he wanted to be. It was the story of Magnus, and how he had changed from a hitman to a hero. And woven throughout it all, was the story of how they fell in love. 

When Alec finished, he was met with silence. There seemed to be a mixed review of how to take it all. A few of them, Aldertree and Imogen included, looked confused, like they weren’t sure what to make of it. Alec could read his father’s expression from a mile away; disgust and disappointment, though he was hardly fazed. But his mother, Lydia and to his surprise, the Commander, looked impressed. Even proud. 

Commander Penhallow was the first to speak. “Thank you, Alexander. I know that story was not easy to share and we have all been following your recovery closely.” She smiled. “You have exuded impressive bravery and heart, both on this job and after, and The Clave is aware of the sacrifices made during this mission. We commend your incredible loyalty to your duty, and to The Clave.” 

Alec nodded in appreciation, hands folded behind his back. Unlike the first time he had received praise from the Commander, he could tell that she was genuine this time. Alec _had_ sacrificed so much for this mission, and she had recognized that. 

Lydia spoke next, smile on her face. “It is because of this bravery, that we would like to extend a formal promotion to you, Agent Lightwood.” She nodded to Maryse, who stood in her chair. 

“Your father and I are stepping down as the Heads of the Institute, and even before the bravery you displayed on this mission, you were a very clear fit for this position. It would be an incredible honour to swear you in as the new Head of the New York Institute, my son.” 

Alec saw the emotion in his mother’s eyes, and had to quell his own. Her face was filled with unadulterated pride. Pride in _him_. She had changed dramatically since the start of this mission, making a huge leap of effort with Magnus, who had come to forgive her for their past. Alec had watched the two of them interact as they both sat by his bedside, and knew that they would be alright. That the past had been forgiven and they were working on a relationship. 

His father though, had not shown the same amount of self growth. He had come to visit Alec when he had been well enough to be transferred to the Institute’s infirmary. He hadn’t said much, other than congratulating Alec on killing Valentine, stating he always knew Alec had it in him. It was as if nothing else Alec had been through mattered, only that he had completed the mission. He almost had to hold Magnus back from lunging at Robert, filled with rage at the lack of compassion from Alec’s own father. 

But Alec wasn’t thinking about his father. He was thinking about his future, and how uncertain of it all he was. He had no idea where he saw himself in the next few years, or even if he ever wanted to go into the field again. He also had no idea where Magnus stood, where they were going. They were in love, he knew that, but what was next? Would Magnus just stay? Did he want to return to his old life? Did he want to choose another career?

There was so much that was uncertain. Which is why Alec needed some time. 

He faced the Commander, and the table of dignitaries. “I am humbly honoured both by your praise and this promotion. It is an honour that I have been dreaming of since childhood, and being the successor to my parents would be a great achievement.” He let out a breath. “That being said, this is a great undertaking. I request a few days to come to a decision.”

The table shared looks, each nodding in approval. Well, the only member who looked less than pleased was Robert, who was shooting his son a confused, disappointed look. But, it was with satisfaction that Alec saw the rest of the table nod, and the Commander granted him 48 hours to decide. 

Alec was excused, as the rest of the team made their testimonies. He wanted to stay, but his mother had told him beforehand that he still had another decision to make, and he should use the time to do that. He met Magnus’ eyes before he left the room. He looked at Alec with so much love and pride that he paused, taking a moment to look back. 

_I love you_ , he mouthed at Magnus from across the room. Magnus grinned back at him, blowing him a cheeky kiss before Alec let the door close behind him. 

He made his way through the Institute, weaving through the halls. The building was in a flurry of activity, as it always was. Agents coming from and going on missions, cameras being monitored and clients being contacted. Alec walked passed all of them though, and to an elevator he knew to be hidden away in the back corridors. It was an elevator that was hardly used, and that Alec himself rarely been down. 

He took it to the very bottom floor, where the most secure holding cells in the building were located. Inside the very first cell, the only occupied one, was Jonathan Morgenstern. He looked much worse for wear than the last time Alec had seen him. He was wearing the uniform prison garb of the Institute, but it hung loose on him, having lost so much weight during his time there. He was slumped in the corner, but Alec knew better than to treat it as weakness. He was waiting for his next chance to pounce, to attack. 

This was the first time Alec had seen him since his own cell in Croatia, and all the feelings he had been trying hard to diminish rushed back the moment he laid eyes on the demon. All the pain, all the suffering. 

“Get up.” Alec commanded harshly, voice hard as steel. Jonathan jumped from his position on the floor, a feral grin crossing his face when he laid eyes on Alec. 

“Well if it isn’t Alec Lightwood, back from the dead. I must admit, it’s good to see you standing on your own. You were quite the bore when you were hanging like a rag doll.” 

Alec hardly gave him the time of day. He knew the creep was just trying to get to him. He knew his life was in Alec’s hands, and that he needed to play his cards right if he wanted to live to see another day.

Alec took a moment, staring the criminal down, trying to figure out what to do with him. Jail was too easy and far too kind. Sending him to a life in prison, while satisfying, wouldn’t give Alec the sense of judgement he needed. But the thought of killing him made his stomach clench in a way that was painful. Alec wasn’t a killer, he never had been. But in the past few months he had done more killing than he had in his entire life. 

“Trying to decide what to do with me, Lightwood?” Jonathan cackled, lounging back onto the bench in his cell. 

Alec shook his head. “No, Jonathan. I’m not.” He walked closer, until he was standing right in front of the glass separating him from his tormentor. “I know exactly what I want to do with you. But a quick death would be much too forgiving for the pain you’ve caused.” 

Jonathan shrugged, as if they weren’t discussing the length of his life. “Then why don’t you torture me, like I did you?” 

Alec laughed, humourless. “All that time we spent together, and you hardly learned a thing about me.” He shook his head. “I’m a far better man than you, Jonathan. I don’t need to hide behind vile words and blades to hurt my enemies.” 

Jonathan raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Then what are you going to do with me, Lightwood?” 

Alec didn’t give him the satisfaction of answering. The truth was, he didn’t know what he was going to do with him yet, but he wasn’t going to tell Jonathan that. Jonathan didn’t need to know that Alec was struggling with the idea of killing him, of taking his life. He didn’t know that he was struggling with the thought of leaving him alive, either. A constant reminder of what Alec went through. 

So instead of giving him an answer, Alec turned and strode back to the elevator. Jonathan’s face was the last thing he saw before the doors shut, head thrown back in laughter. 

 

***

 

That night, Alec lay curled up in Magnus’ arms. They were staying in the Institute, as they had been since Alec was well enough to leave the infirmary. They hadn’t talked about what was going to happen next for them, but they had all the time in the world for that. After Alec made the decision on his own future, they could start planning theirs. 

Alec’s skin still had a light sheen of sweat on it from their activities, but his blissed out smile made Magnus feel better than anything they had done. He was curled up into Magnus side, eyes dipping shut, peaceful smile on his face. It was rare for them to get a night alone like this, between Alec’s therapy sessions, doctors appointments and the debrief. But these moments were Magnus’ favourite. Just the two of them. Magnus and Alec.

“That gets better every time we do it.” Alec murmured sleepily, burrowing deeper into Magnus’ side. 

Magnus chuckled. “You’re not so bad yourself, Alexander.” Alec rolled his eyes fondly, positioning himself so he was laying on his back, Magnus’ fingers locked in his. From this angle, Magnus had a clear view of the map of scars littering his torso. The scars he knew would never fade, white and pink lines always a reminder of what Alec had been through. 

They had faded from angry red, to a more subdued pink. The ones where Alec’s runes had once been were the worst, some of them still in the process of healing. But thanks to the Clave’s advanced technology in medicine, many of them were nothing more than raised bumps on his skin. Magnus knew that Alec struggled with them, but how could he not? On his body, was a permanent reminder of what he went through. 

But day by day, Magnus had been trying to show him the scars were a sign of strength, rather than weakness. 

Magnus rolled over onto his stomach, half resting on top of Alec. He started at Alec’s hip, pressing his lips gently against the pink scar there. Alec hummed, content, but let him continue. He continued to kiss his way up his boyfriends chest, spending extra time on the marks, worshipping each and every single one, before planting a final kiss to Alec’s lips. Alec smiled dopily back at him, thumb rubbing Magnus’ cheek. His other hand found the small bump on Magnus’ shoulder, where his own scar lay from the bullet. Alec sighed deeply, fingers working over it absently. “What do I do about him, Magnus?”

It was a hard question to answer. Magnus knew exactly what he personally wanted to do to the bastard, but he knew that wasn’t what Alec needed to hear right now. Nor would he ever be granted permission from the Clave. 

No, what Alec needed was reassurance and Magnus’ honest opinion. “I think, that as hard as it is, he shouldn’t be able to get away with what he did. He needs to pay for the pain he caused.” 

Alec nodded, thinking about his words before he spoke. He looked up at the ceiling, still tracing Magnus’ scar with his fingers. “I don’t want him to live.” He whispered, reverently, as if ashamed. “I want him to die for what he did to you, to me. To us.” He swallowed thickly. “It’s horrible, but I want to take his life away for trying to take away ours.”

Magnus sat up, forcing Alec to look him in the eye. “Hey,” he said, with as much conviction and confidence he could muster. “That is not a horrible thought, Alexander. That man put you through hell, and he deserves everything that’s coming to him, whatever that may be. And I know killing isn’t in your nature,” he brushed hair out of Alec’s eyes. “But you stopped Valentine from killing me. And if you hadn’t - I don’t know what would have happened.” 

A tear slipped from the corner of Alec’s eye. Magnus wiped it away with his thumb. “That was different. I was delirious with the need to get him off you. He was killing you, Magnus. I had to do something. I don’t know if I can look Jonathan in the eye and do the same to him.”

Magnus could see the internal struggle Alec was facing through his eyes. This was a hard decision for him. And it made Magnus realize, once again, what an amazing man his boyfriend was. The man in question had tortured him and almost forced him to take his last breath, yet Alec was having a hard time sentencing him to death because his moral compass told him it was wrong. 

Magnus gave Alec a small smile. Not a happy smile, but one of acceptance. “What if you didn’t have to kill him?”

“What do you mean?” Alec asked. 

“I mean,” Magnus clarified, “what if I were to kill him for you?” 

The words hung heavy between them. Alec’s lips parted, a soft rush of air coming out from them, but he said nothing. His eyes flicked between Magnus’ own, as if trying to discern if his words were true. 

They were anything but a lie. Magnus hated Jonathan, perhaps more than Alec did. Not only had he tortured the man he loved to an inch of death, but he was the offspring of the man who had turned Magnus’ life upside down. The man who had killed his mother and so many other innocent people. He was associated with so many cruel memories that Magnus held, that killing him would ease at least a few of them.

But of course this was Alec’s decision, and his decision only. He ultimately was the one who had to decide the fate of Jonathan Morgenstern, and Magnus would support him in whatever he chose. 

 

***

 

Alec woke the next morning, wanting nothing more than to spend the day in bed. 

He turned his head, watching Magnus as he slept peacefully on the pillow beside him. His hair was fanned out, soft and lacking any product. His face was bare, all traces of makeup having been removed and his nose kept twitching, like it always did when he slept. The action never failed to make Alec smile, a grin lighting up his face. 

Alec remembered back, all those months ago, when he had first met Magnus. When they had been on that plane, and made the deal that had caused Alec so much turmoil. Alec had brought that deal up, a few weeks after he woke up. Magnus had confessed to him that he wanted to search for information on his mother, because he didn’t know exactly how she had died. The Clave had access to that information, and Magnus had been looking for closure for years. 

It reminded him how far they had come. At the time, he thought Magnus to be a selfish crook, who wanted to steal Clave secrets. But that wasn’t Magnus, and he knew that even more now. Magnus was kind, loyal and beautiful. 

Alec loved him so damn much. 

And as much as he wanted to stay in bed all day, and hide away from the world with Magnus, he knew that he couldn’t. Especially not today. Today was the day that everything was going to change, and Alec hadn’t any idea where the day would take them. He didn’t know where Magnus was going to fit into everything when it was all said and done. Of course, he hoped that Magnus would stick with him, stand by him and continue to be by his side, but he knew what this life was like, and it wasn’t for everyone. 

Magnus started to wake beside him, pulling Alec from his thoughts. His arm, draped across Alec’s torso, tightened, bringing Alec closer to him. “Morning handsome.” He muttered sleepily, face indented by the pillow, pressing a kiss to Alec’s bare shoulder. 

“Good morning to you, too.” Alec responded, kissing Magnus’ temple softly, smiling. If today was going to be hell, then Alec was glad he got to spend a little time in heaven before it all started. 

Magnus blinked his eyes open, finally fixing them on Alec. Alec could see the thoughts running through his mind, their conversation from last night unfinished. He could practically hear Magnus’ mind working overtime to find a way to ask Alec if he had made his decision yet. 

He decided to spare him the trouble. “I’ve made my decision.” He confirmed, soft into the quiet of the room. 

“Do I need to sharpen my blades?” Magnus inquired. There was a teasing lilt in his tone but Alec could hear the seriousness behind it. The worry. Magnus was serious about wanting to end Jonathan’s life, if that was what Alec wanted. And if Alec had ever doubted Magnus’ affections towards him, that one look blew those doubts right out of the water. 

Alec let out a small chuckle, smiling down at Magnus. He ran his thumb over the other man’s cheek, smoothing out the lines the pillow had caused. Magnus had a little stubble, brushing against Alec’s thumb roughly. “Not yet.” He murmured. “And … there's something else.”

“Anything.” Magnus promised, propping himself up on his forearms. 

Alec hesitated. He wasn’t sure if it was fair to ask what he needed to, but it made sense. Alec needed to be one hundred percent sure about his decision, and he couldn’t let anything affect that. “If you don’t mind, I want to tell you what I’ve decided when I tell the rest of the board today. Is that okay?” 

Shaking his head, Magnus laughed. “And I thought that I was the dramatic one in this relationship, Alexander.” Alec grinned in response, nerves fading. “But of course. I will patiently be awaiting your decision with the rest of the peasants.” 

Alec rolled his eyes, pulling Magnus closer to him and planting a kiss right on his mouth. “Well, we’ve still got an hour or so until we have to be down there with the peasants so why don’t we make use of it, hm?” 

 

***

 

An hour or so, (maybe a little longer, but who’s really counting) later, Alec and Magnus made their way down to the conference room. 

They were stopped on their way there though, by Robert. He was standing in the middle of the hall, effectively blocking their path. It was clear to Alec that this wasn’t a coincidence and he had been waiting for them. 

Magnus looked to Alec, a look that clearly asked ‘do you want me to stay’. Alec shook his head minutely, kissing Magnus lightly on the forehead before telling him that he would meet him inside in a few moments. 

Moments later, it was just Alec and his father. Robert was dressed in formal gear, as Alec was. This meeting was no normal debrief, and deserved the best attire. But his uniform didn’t distract Alec from the look in his father’s eyes that he had been growing accustomed to as of late. 

“Father, what can I do for you?” Alec deadpanned. 

Robert shook his head. “You can start by telling me that you’re going to make the right decision today.” 

Alec raised his eyebrows. “And what decision is that?”

Robert stalked closer, tone dropping in anger. “I have worked too hard for you not to take this promotion, Alec. Don’t you dare dishonour this family name further by turning it down.” 

Alec almost laughed. He wanted to, but he had a feeling it would send his father into a tailspin. “Dishonour?” He asked instead. “Is it because I’ve found love in someone you don’t approve of? Or is it because that person is a man?”

“You brought filth into my Institute!” Robert screamed. Alec flinched, taking a step back. Rage bubbled inside of him, but before he could refute, his father continued. “When I gave you this mission, I knew it would be good for your image. You had been slipping, not improving as fast as you should have been since your brother’s death.” 

“Don't you dare -” 

He was interrupted once again by Robert, who stepped closer, an inch from Alec. His back hit the wall, his father getting right in his face. “I got you this mission to help your career. I knew that hitman had a past with Morgenstern and that he wanted him dead. I was _counting_ on it. I didn’t give a shit if he succeeded or not, but I knew if it came to it, you would be the one to kill Valentine.” He grinned. “And I was right.” He shook his head. “But then you had to ruin it all by falling in _love_. We could have been rid of Valentine and that little vermin, but you made sure one of those things didn’t happen, didn’t you?” 

Alec could hardly believe what he was hearing. His father had willingly sent Magnus and him into a mission that would end in one of their deaths, though he had been hoping it would be Magnus’. He had known about Magnus’ past and used that as leverage to get the Commander to hire him. 

Alec wasn’t sure if he wanted to throw up or throw something at his father. A little bit of both, he presumed. The way Robert was looking at him, it was like he was waiting for Alec to thank him, or something. Because while this mission had its desired effect and given him a jump in his career, he never would have taken it if he had known this. 

Pushing himself off the wall, Alec advanced on his father. Rage seeped his words, fire spitting from his lips, letting his father know exactly what he thought about him. “How _dare_ you show your face in this Institute after what you did? I bet you thought you were so fucking clever, but you know what, father? By coercing with Valentine, you have committed treason.” Robert opened his mouth but Alec headed him off. “Shut up. Because in about five minutes, I’m going to outrank you and in about six minutes, my first official act as Head of the Institute is going to be banishing your sorry ass and getting your runes removed.” Alec shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest. “And let me tell you, it is not a painless process.” 

Robert looked like he had been slapped. He took a few steps back, unable to remove his gaze from Alec. “I don’t believe you.” He shook his head. “You are not my son. I did not raise you to go against your family in this way. The Commander will never allow it.” 

“You know what,” Alec laughed. “You never raised me at all. And unlike Mom who has learned from her mistakes, you’re the same bastard that screwed Magnus over all those years ago when he was just a child.” Alec looked away. “He was a kid, dad. A kid who had just lost everything that was important to him, and you took his last shred of dignity and stepped on it. So let me tell you, I am glad not to be your son, because I haven’t felt like it for a long time.” 

“You’re going to regret this.” Robert seethed.

“I don’t think I am.” Alec stated, pushing passed his father and towards the doors of the conference room. “And don’t you think of trying to stop this. Because I don’t know if you’ve heard, but my boyfriend is a badass, and I’ve been holding him back from kicking your ass for a while now.” He shrugged. “I could very easily stop doing that.” 

And with that, Alec left Robert standing there with his jaw on the floor, and towards his future. 

 

***

 

Magnus watched his boyfriend stride into the room, confidence dripping from him. His head was held high, and his body language dared someone to try and fuck with him. It was incredibly distracting, to say the least. He strode up the podium in the center of the room, looking each member of the council in the eye. Magnus noted that after their conversation in the hallway, Robert hadn’t made a reappearance. 

He stood confidently in front of the line of his superiors, waiting until he had their attention. The Commander nodded at him. “Agent Lightwood, have you made your decision?”

Alec nodded firmly. “I have, ma’am. Both regarding my promotion and on the fate of Jonathan Morgenstern.” She raised her eyebrows, but otherwise gestured for him to continue. “I have decided to take the promotion, but under two conditions.” Alec started. He was met with some surprised looks. If Magnus had to guess, it wasn’t often that The Clave was challenged. 

Gods, Alec was so hot when he defied The Clave. 

“Go ahead, agent. What are your terms?” Magnus had the feeling that if it were anyone other than Alec, the Commander would smite them on the spot, but she had shown on more than one occasion that she had a little bit of a soft spot for Alec. He was inclined to agree with her. 

“I want to propose that we return to our original mission. Helping and protecting those who deserve to be protected. I want to partner back with witness protection and the government to ensure that we are sticking to our morals.” Alec let out a breath. “If this mission has taught me anything, it’s that we’ve swayed too far from our goal, and I think it’s time we go back to our roots.” 

The Commander took a long moment to study him. Magnus couldn’t read her expression, so it was impossible to tell if she was going to agree to his terms or not. Finally, she nodded. “And your second term?” 

Alec looked a little more nervous for this one. Not outright, no. He stood in front of the council in full uniform looking as confident as ever. But Magnus could see the way his fingers twitched behind his back, the way he shifted slightly on his feet. As if sensing him, Alec looked over and caught Magnus’ eye. He didn’t know what else to do but give him a nod of encouragement. 

“Agent?”

Alec stood tall. “I want Magnus Bane to be able to remain, and even work at the Institute, if that is what he wishes. The divide between The Clave and those we deem lower than us has gone on long enough, and I propose we take the first step to breaking those barriers down.” He said, eyes flicking back to Magnus. “Magnus Bane is highly trained, and far better than almost any agent I have ever seen. If he wishes to stay, he would make an amazing addition to our ranks.” 

All eyes in the room went to Magnus. He wasn’t used to this much attention, especially when Alec had just dropped a bomb like _that_. He had essentially just proclaimed his love for Magnus in front of the entire Clave, while simultaneously telling them that it was a defining factor in if he accepted their offer or not. 

But the one thing Magnus couldn’t stop thinking about, was that Alec had questioned if he wanted to stay. 

While they hadn’t talked about it, Magnus had thought for sure he would have known by now. Magnus wasn’t going anywhere. He wouldn’t leave Alec for anything at this point, and he had been willing to fight tooth and nail to keep his spot beside him. But it turned out Alec had just done that for him. 

It didn’t take long for the Commander to come to a decision. The dignitaries quietly discussed, every so often shooting looks down to where he was sitting. Alec stayed at his spot at the podium, but he was getting more antsy as the minutes went on. Magnus wanted nothing more than to run up to him and hold him, tell him that no matter what they decided, he was going to stay. That they would sort it out together and everything would be alright. 

But he didn’t get the chance for that because the next thing he knew, Commander Penhallow was calling the room back to attention. Everyone quieted down, an eerie silence settling over the crowd of spectators. The entire room was on the edge of their seats, waiting with baited breath to hear what she would say. 

“Agent Lightwood.” She started, regarding him closely. “You have challenged The Clave, pushing rules that have been in place for decades. You have made bold acclamations, yet you still stand before your superiors, confident as ever.” Alec nodded, hands clasped tight behind his back. 

“It is because of these actions,” she continued, “that we have decided you to be the new Head of the New York Institute. The Clave needs more people in charge like you, Mr. Lightwood. We could all take a page from your book.” She said the last bit with a smile, corners of her mouth tipping up. 

Magnus and the rest of Alec’s friends and family jumped up, screaming and clapping like their team had just gotten the state touchdown. Magnus was overjoyed, seeing Alec standing there, preening under the praise. The praise he deserved more than anything in the world. Other agents stood too, giving him a well deserved round of applause and welcoming. Alec was their future. He would make so many advancements, for the better of The Clave. 

And Magnus couldn’t wait to be by his side when he did it all. 

Once the room settled, attention turned back to the panel. Because there was still another decision to be made. Commander Penhallow waited until she had full attention before she asked, “and what of the fate of Jonathan Morgenstern?” 

Alec nodded, taking a moment to collect his words. This was the decision they had all been waiting for. Magnus knew that each member of Alec’s team had their own opinions, he did as well, but this was ultimately Alec’s decision to make. 

“Jonathan Morgenstern will be sentenced to death by my hand immediately.” Alec said. He didn’t explain further, didn’t elaborate or go into any detail to explain his choice. Magnus knew how hard that sentence was for him to speak, and how much harder the action itself would be. It was for that reason that he didn’t feel the joy or relief that he thought he would hear at the words. He thought having Jonathan out of their lives for good would take the weight off his shoulders, but it ended up only increasing it. For Alec was going to struggle with this, as he wasn’t a killer, but this was something he needed to do. The best he could do was offer support to Alec when he needed him. 

The Commander nodded solemnly. “Of course. The execution will be set for an hour from now.” She sent him a genuine smile, despite the sobriety of the topic. “Congratulations, Mr. Lightwood. You have come out on the other side of a situation that must have seemed like it would never end, and you have come out a survivor.” 

It was with those words that she dismissed the meeting, sending everyone on their way. She announced Jonathan’s execution would be closed, only the Head of the Institute, herself and those directly involved in the mission in attendance. 

Magnus wasted no time in rushing to Alec’s side. Alec met him halfway, taking Magnus in his arms and pulling him tight to his body. Magnus hugged him back just as tight. They stood in the middle of the crowded room, surrounded by agents, but to Magnus, there was only Alec. He was shaking, from nerves, happiness or fear Magnus didn’t know, but he pulled him even closer, pressing a kiss to where Alec’s neck met his shoulder. “You did it, Alexander. You did it.” 

Alec nodded into his shoulder, but didn’t speak. Magnus continued. “I know it doesn’t feel like a win yet, but it’s all going to be over in an hour.” He pulled back so he was looking in Alec’s eyes. “And we are all going to be there for you.” He knew without looking that Alec’s family was behind him, the entire team showing their support. And he knew from the tears in Alec’s hazel eyes as he looked over Magnus’ shoulder that he was right. 

Magnus spoke again, this time just for the two of them. “And then, when this is all over for good, I’m still going to be here. Because you couldn’t get rid of me if you tried, darling.” 

“Are you sure you don’t want to go start fresh somewhere else?” Alec asked.

Magnus hook his head. “Nope. Not a chance. After all, I just got a job offer from one of the most prestigous protection agencies in the world. And the boss is pretty cute, so I’m thinking I’m going to take it.” Alec laughed at that, tears slipping down his cheeks as he smiled. Alec’s smile was one of Magnus’ favourite things in the world. 

They were bombarded all of a sudden by another pair of arms, and then another and another until the entire team was sharing a group hug in the middle of the conference room. 

“We’re here for you, bro.” 

“You’ve always got us, Alec.” 

“We are so proud of you.” 

Alec pulled back from the hug, looking around at each of them. He kept his hand in Magnus’ squeezing tight. “I love all of you. Thank you so much, for everything you have done. I can honestly say I wouldn’t be here without you guys.” 

Maia grinned. “You’re turning into a sap in your old age, Lightwood.” Everyone laughed at that, and the atmosphere had officially been lifted. Everyone took turns congratulating Alec on his promotion, telling him they would be proud to serve him. Maryse even came down from the panel to hug her son tight. Alec whispered a few words to her in private, and Magnus had an inkling it had to do with his conversation with Robert in the hall earlier from the enraged look on Maryse’s face. 

There was a time for that, but that time was not now. 

It wasn’t long before the team moved from the conference room and towards the elevator, like a sombre parade. The elevator in the back corridors that Magnus had never been down before. The elevator that would take them to Jonathan.

Alec gripped his hand like a lifeline the entire way there, keeping his eyes trained straight ahead. The team surrounded him, giving him nods of encouragement but none of it was helping. Alec was drawn tight like a wire, ready to snap. He knew the nightmares were becoming real, the ones he had been reluctant to tell Magnus about. Alec was terrified of hurting people, protecting being in his nature. And so killing gave him such guilt, that it ate him up inside. 

But Magnus, having done his fair share of killing, helped Alec through it. He told Alec about his first, and then his second and how he would never forget a single face of a life he took. He told him about his own nightmares and how he still sees their faces in the night, years later. But he also told him that it gets better, that the guilt goes away eventually. You just need to forgive yourself. 

Alec looked the picture of an angel of death. Magnus remembered seeing Alec in action, for real, the first time. The night he had saved Magnus’ life. Blood had been draining from him, but Alec had been beautiful, fighting as graceful as if he was dancing the ballet. He was standing tall beside Magnus, bow strapped to his back, quiver full of gleaming arrows. 

But today, he would only be needing one. 

The elevator ground to a halt, and the doors opened. He and Alec stepped out first, leading the group the first cell, the one that held Jonathan Morgenstern. 

“Oh my god.” Isabelle’s hand covered her mouth, shock written on her face. Similar expressions were painted on the rest of the team, shock and confusion. Magnus prepared himself for the worst, before peering into the cell. 

Jonathan was inside, but he was dead. 

Alec stepped forward, frozen as he looked at Jonathan’s unmoving form. No one moved, waiting for Alec to make the call. Eventually, Alec stepped around the side, unlocking the entrance to the cell. “Alexander, be careful.” Magnus warned. “It could be a trick.” Alec nodded, deciding to nock an arrow before stepping inside. They all watched from the outside with baited breath as Alec slowly crept towards the unconscious criminal, bending down when he was close enough. With an arrow near his head in case he tried to spring, Alec felt for a pulse. 

And it was in the look of relief that crossed Alec’s face that he knew Jonathan was dead. 

Their nightmare was finally over. Alec had been released of his duty as executioner, and in a way, so had Jonathan. He was bred into a world of evil. It was all he ever knew. It didn’t excuse any of his actions or any of the pain he caused, but at least now he was free from it all. His father dying had been his last lifeline, the last thing he had to hold onto in life. And when Alec had taken that away, he had taken his own life before the Clave had been able to take his. 

Alec walked over to Magnus in a daze. He dropped his quiver and his bow, falling into Magnus’ arms, heavy. He let out a long sigh, finally letting the tears fall. Letting himself cry for all he had lost, all he had been though. Magnus gently brought them to the ground, holding Alec while he sobbed, while he let out all the pain he had been holding inside. 

Because their nightmare was finally over. They were finally free. 

 

***

 

Alec hit the punching bag in front of him, assaulting it with a series of strategic blows. 

His knuckles were wrapped, but he still felt the pain. The good pain, the one that meant he was hitting the shots exactly where he needed to. The burn in his arms that he associated with a good workout. He was covered in sweat, but he still had his breath, and his strength. His body no longer protested when he trained, just the slightest twinge in his shoulders if he went too hard. But it was little things like that he knew would never go away. There would always be reminders of what happened, like the scars that mapped his skin, but he was okay with that. It had been a long road to recovery, a little over a year, but Alec was happy to be where he was. 

A lot had changed in a year. He had taken control of the Institute almost immediately after his promotion. His mother had swore him in, proudly stepping down so he could take her place. As promised, his first official act had been banning his father, removing his runes and making sure he never showed his face again. His mother assisted him, having learned from Alec what her husband had done. Well, her ex-husband. 

She had stayed though, a co-counsel of sorts. Together, they rebuilt the morals in which The Clave was built. As the Commander promised, they went back to their roots. A lot still needed to be done, change was a slow process, but they were miles ahead of where they had been a year ago. And Alec was incredibly proud to be a part of it. 

The door opened behind Alec, though he didn’t hear it shut which meant whoever was entering didn’t want to be heard. He continued his assault on the bag in front of him, keeping his back to whomever had entered, but listening intently for sounds of movement. It wasn’t long before he heard the slight rush of footsteps behind his shoulder, cautious and slow. He grinned, continuing to punch the bag as if he didn’t know what was going on. They should _really_ know better by now. 

The intruder took quick steps so that they were directly behind Alec, and he turned around just as they reached him, ready to swipe their feet out from under them. But when he turned around to face his attacker, he stopped. Because standing behind him was Magnus. 

He was wearing workout attire, which for Magnus included a shirt that showed more skin than covered it, and pants that were slung low on his hips. His boyfriend grinned back at him, winking at Alec. “Big mistake, babe.” It was at that moment that Alec was attacked from behind, a second intruder jumping on his back koala style and bringing them both to the floor. He was taken by surprise and it was easy for the attacker to get the better of him, leaving him pinned under their weight. 

“I finally found your weakness.” Isabelle grinned, black hair falling into Alec’s face. She grinned over him triumphantly, pinning his wrists to the mat. 

“I don’t have any weaknesses.” He grunted, playfully shoving her off. 

“Ah, I beg to differ.” She countered, sitting up. “You won’t hit Magnus, which makes him your weakness.” She grinned. “Which means I finally got the better of you.” 

She looked incredibly proud of herself, and if he was honest, Alec was proud of her too. For beating him, yes, but also for how far she had come in a year. She was now the weapons master for the Institute, a position that fit her perfectly and that she had worked incredibly hard for. She helped all the new recruits find their weapon of choice, while teaching some of the older agents how to master ones they had been using for years. Of course, she was still incredibly handy with technology, and her and Simon had even paired with some of the best analysts at the FBI on a few missions. 

Alec held his hand out. “You beat me, Iz. Fair and square.” She shook his hand, blinding smile on her face. “As for you,” Alec scolded jokingly, turning his attention to Magnus. “How dare you team up with my sister to beat me?” 

Magnus grinned, helping Alec up from the mat, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. “Someone has to knock you off that high pedestal of yours every so often, Alexander.” He smirked. “It’s not everyday that a commoner like Isabelle beats the Head of the Institute.” Alec rolled his eyes, chuckling when Isabelle jumped on Magnus, getting him back for his commoner comment. 

“And what does that make you?”

Magnus kissed Alec on the cheek. “If you’re royalty, I’m the Duke, of course.” 

“Mhmm,” Alec hummed, smirking. “More like my king.” 

Magnus too, had been in his element lately. After assuring Alec that he was exactly where he wanted to be, there was some discussion about what would come next. Magnus didn’t know what his life without being a hitman would look like, but he told Alec that he wanted to figure it out, and he wanted to be with Alec while he did so. He tried a few different things, but ended up coming to work at the Institute. He had long since made his peace with the Clave, and signed on to train the youngest generation. Alec hadn’t been lying when he said Magnus was the more talented than any agent he had ever seen, and he showed that everyday when he helped shape the future of protection. 

Watching the two of them, playfully scuffling on the mat, Alec couldn’t help the sense of peace that overcame him. It had been a hard road to get to where he was, but he had gotten here. Having made peace with his family, thriving in his career and in a loving relationship with the man of his dreams, Alec was on top of the world. 

“Hey, are you listening?” Isabelle cajoled. She was grinning up at Alec from the mat, Magnus out of breath beside her. 

“No.” Alec grinned back. 

She rolled her eyes, popping up from the mat, bring Magnus up behind her. “I said, we’re going to get some food from the kitchen. Do you want to come, or do you want to hit that bag some more?” 

Alec rolled his eyes, swatting her with a towel. “I’m coming.” Magnus folded himself into Alec’s side, poking his stomach playfull. 

“Whatcha thinking about, stud?”

Alec shook his head, kissing Magnus’ hair. “Nothing, just happy.”

And he was - finally, fully and completely happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we have it! I want to thank you all for sticking with this story, even when I took months to update. I hope this end brings you all closure and ties up all loose ends. 
> 
> Special thanks to Sam, Yara and Nin, who make my world a better place (and correct all my grammatical errors). 
> 
> Find me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/insiemes) if you want to chat. 
> 
> I'll see you soon angels x

**Author's Note:**

> What did you think?
> 
> Let me know on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/insiemes) or down below in the comments! xx
> 
>  


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